Garvan diabetes and obesity researchers are leading an exciting clinical trial called PREDICT, which is testing how a tailored diet can improve the body's response to the common diabetes drug, metformin.
Garvan has collaborated with the Weizmann Institute of Science to create an algorithm that can predict how a person's blood sugar will respond to different foods, based on individual variables including their 'gut microbiome' - a unique set of thousands of species of microorganisms that reside in the gut.
The PREDICT clinical trial is now looking to enrol men and women aged 20-70 years who have pre-diabetes (e.g. you have been told you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or you have had increased blood sugar in previous blood tests)
Or recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes, and not yet treated with a sugar-lowering medication.
The seven-month study involves taking a common diabetes medication and one of two diets; either a personalised diet (tailored to your gut microbes) or a standard healthy diet.
All participants will wear a glucose monitor for two weeks before and during treatment and document all their food intake in a specialised mobile phone app.
The study will involve a maximum of 3 visits to the Garvan Institute in Darlinghurst, Sydney (next to St. Vincent's Hospital) over a period of seven months. Most of the follow up will be done over the phone or using video tools (e.g. Zoom or Skype).
All study participants have access to a fully accredited dietitian and a study medical team for study-related queries for the duration of the study.
At the end of the study, participants will be provided a $100 retail voucher.
If you would like to take part in this ground-breaking research and make a difference for those living with type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions, please contact the study team on: Phone: (02) 9295 8253 Email: PREDICT@garvan.org.au
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03558867
St Vincent's HREC Ref: 17/SVH/080
Principal Investigators: Professor Jerry Greenfield and Dr Dorit Samocha-Bonet
