Isle of Ely Study

The Ely Study, funded by the MRC and Diabetes UK, began in 1990 with the aim of investigating the causes and prevalence of Type 2 diabetes. This study included more than 1100 individuals registered with a single practice in Ely who had not been clinically diagnosed with the condition.

Participants underwent screening tests for diabetes and related cardiovascular risk factors and were then followed up at 5 and 10 years. At the 10-year mark, additional individuals were randomly selected from the original Ely cohort sampling frame, extending the scope of the study beyond its initial participants.

The Ely study paved the way for the Fenland study, launched in 2005 to investigate the interaction between the genetic and lifestyle factors that cause obesity and diabetes. The Fenland study is ongoing, led by Professor Nick Wareham. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the study’s cohort was used to measure the prevalence of past COVID-19 infections and investigate the feasibility of detecting the pre-symptomatic phase of COVID-19 through data collected via a smartphone app. This endeavour aimed to help scientists develop better measures of early detection.

Further information: Study webpage and publications