An observational study in Thinness and Health Behavior, sponsored by Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences. Completed at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 40 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-21.
Sponsored by Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences · Observational
The goal of this observational study is to build on our previous work to further characterise the phenotype of superlean individuals (BMI \< 18.5) when compared to normal BMI people (BMI 21.5 to 25). This will include characterising the body composition, food intake behaviour, circulating hormone levels, genetics and characteristics of the gut microbiota. The investigators expect to recruit up to 200 healthy superlean and control volunteers respectively,
The focus of this work is to characterise the phenotype and genotype of individuals who have low BMI ( \< 18.5) but are otherwise healthy and do not have eating disorders. The investigators term this group 'superlean' individuals. The study is observational and the investigators aim to establish a healthy superlean cohort,and use the combined metagenomic and metabolomic multi-omics analysis techniques, combined with imaging and physiological measurements, to focus on the correlation between gut microbiota characteristics and metabolism in superlean population. The investigators expect to recruit up to 200 healthy superlean and control volunteers (BMI 21.5 to 25) respectively, to explore the microbiota characteristics and differences between control and healthy superlean populations by measuring the basic physical indicators and metabolic parameters. This will include analyzing the postprandial hormonal changes, appetite differences, and changes in the gut microbiome and serum metabolome in the two groups of volunteers, establishing the relationship between the gut microbiota and the metabolite and metabolic phenotypes of the body, and exploring the gut microbiota.
66 studies on the registry are indexed under Thinness; 11 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 104 is below the median of 275 across 22 observational studies indexed under Thinness.
Browse Thinness studies →Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences is the lead sponsor of 22 studies on the registry; 16 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Participants are healthy, with no metabolic disorder, 25 - 40 years old
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
21.5≤BMI\<25, age between 25-40 years old, 200subjects.
Other: Observation without intervention
BMI≤18.5, age between 25-40 years old, 200 subjects.
Other: Observation without intervention
Observation of food intake, body composition, microbiota, genetics, metabolic rate, metabolomics.
Weight
Volunteers will be asked to fast for 10 hours and measured fasting weight.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Height
Height will be measured by seca 217 stable stadiometer.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Waist circumferences
Waist circumferences will be measured using a whole body laser scanner.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Hip circumferences
Hip circumferences will be measured using a whole body laser scanner.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Bone mineral density
Bone mineral density will be measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (Horizon Wi).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Fat mass
Fat mass will be measured by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Shanghai united imaging, uMR 790 ).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Fat free mass
Fat free mass will be measured by Bioimpedance Analysis (Tanita, MC-980).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Blood pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be measured using an Omron sphygmomanometer.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Glucose
Fasting and post-prandial glucose after a standard meal will be recorded by the continuous glucose monitoring system.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be recorded for a consecutive of 7 days.
Body temperature
Body temperature will be measured before and after feeding using a thermal imaging camera.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured before and after feeding.
Resting energy expenditure
The measurement of resting energy expenditure will be performed using indirect calorimetry.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Physical activity
Physical activity of the participants will be recorded using GT3X monitor for a consecutive of 7 days.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be recorded for a consecutive of 7 days.
Body shape
Body shape will be measured using a whole body laser scanner.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Energy intake
Response on standard feeding table, the food consumption will be recorded continuously by balances underneath each food dish. The total energy intake will be calculated in KJ (kilojoule).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured on arrival.
Circulating hormones
Levels of circulating hormones (including leptin, insulin, ghrelin etc) will be measured when fasted and after a standard intervention meal. Levels of circulating hormones in the serum will be measured by ELISA (Bio Tek, Synergy4) in mmol/L.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured after standard intervention meal.
Microbiome
Abundance of gut microbiome will be from Metagenomic profiling of feces by Illumina.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured after samples collected.
Metabolites
Abundance of metabolites will be from metabolomic profiling of serum and feces by LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry).
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured after samples collected.
Genetics
Polymorphic variation will be assessed in a panel of SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism) previously linked to body composition and physical activity using a Mass array sequencer.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 2 years, will be measured after samples collected.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences