About the HELIUS study:

Did you know that people of South-Asian Surinamese origin are at greater risk of developing diabetes? And that high blood pressure is much more common among African Surinamese people and Ghanaians? And that we see asthma much more often in people of Turkish and Moroccan origin? But what is the reason for this?

We know there are health differences among the residents of Amsterdam. But we don’t know what causes these differences. This knowledge is necessary to improve medical care and to be better able to tackle health problems. This is why in 2010 the Academic Medical Center (AMC) and the Public Health Service of Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam) have joined together to start a large study among Amsterdam residents: the HELIUS health study. HELIUS stands for ‘Healthy Life in an Urban Setting’, and offers a unique opportunity for improving health care in the future for various population groups in Amsterdam. Approximately 25.000 inhabitants of Amsterdam have participated in this study.

Thanks to all the participants the HELIUS study exists already 10 years now! To tell you more about 10 years of HELIUS research, we have made a video and an informative image. You can click on the pictures below to view them.