A*STAR launches S$150m study on adolescent health and development
The five-year study will track about 5,000 adolescents to build Singapore-specific evidence on youth health, mental well-being and digital habits.
A student with his personal learning device during a mathematics lesson at Jurong West Secondary School. (File photo: CNA/Raydza Rahman)
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SINGAPORE: The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will launch a five-year, S$150 million (US$115.9 million) initiative to study youths aged 10 to 24, covering sleep, early childhood development and digital media use.
Announcing the initiative on Monday (Jul 13), the agency said it would work with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and other partners to study about 5,000 adolescents to generate Singapore-specific evidence on youth development.
Most existing research on adolescence is based on Western populations, limiting its relevance to Asian societies where cultural norms shape youth experiences differently, said researchers from A*STAR's Institute for Human Development and Potential.
While the first 1,000 days of life are a critical window for development of the body, brain and immune system, adolescence marks a crucial "second window of opportunity", they said.
Adolescents experience rapid physical growth during this period, said Professor Johan Eriksson, the institute's executive director.
"The brain is developing really rapidly, and there are a lot of things happening otherwise, hormone-wise. And there's also a change in social, family relationships," he added.
"This is a period that we need to research much more. To be really honest, very little has been done in this research before, so I would say that what we are going to do now is novel."
The study comes amid growing public concerns over youth mental health, lifestyle and digital habits, A*STAR said on Monday. “It seeks to address the lack of longitudinal evidence in Singapore and Asia to guide policies, programmes and interventions.”
Gaps remain in understanding adolescent development, particularly how early life experiences and social changes shape outcomes over time, the researchers said.
Other studies, such as the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes study, have looked at specific aspects of child development here, but this initiative aims to harmonise data across studies and "put everything together", said Prof Eriksson.
Most previous studies in Singapore and elsewhere focused on a single aspect of adolescent health, such as mental well-being, he added.
Singapore's population also has a slightly different genetic background compared with Western populations, as well as distinct cultural differences, Prof Eriksson said.
"The family means much more and in a different way to Singaporeans than it means to many Western populations. Schooling and the stress sometimes associated with achievements in school are different compared to many Western populations," he added.
AREAS OF STUDY
The initiative will examine adolescent brains, bodies and lifestyles, looking at how physical health, cognitive development, sleep, physical activity, nutrition and digital behaviours interact during this stage.
The findings will inform preventive health strategies, including approaches to obesity and metabolic health.
It will also study social and psychological development and how early life experiences influence adolescent outcomes. Researchers will investigate how families, peers and policies shape resilience, mental health and academic performance, and identify youths who may benefit from early, targeted support.
The study will also explore how changing early childhood experiences and family environments shape the health and developmental trajectories of youths.
The initiative will also cover digital and urban environments, examining how digital media use affects their well-being, identity formation and social relationships, while identifying factors that reduce harm.
Researchers will also study how green spaces, urban design, climate exposure and environmental quality influence physical and mental well-being.
The findings will be used to develop and test practical, evidence-based interventions reflecting the environments in which youths live, learn and interact.
Researchers will draw on multiple cohorts to identify the most important factors in adolescence, said senior principal scientist Dr Evelyn Loo. The team will then validate these findings by rolling out and testing measures at a national level, she added.
