Samoan Obesity, Lifestyle and Genetic Adaptations Study Group

23/02/2026

Ua galulue faatasi la matou ofisa su’esu’e,e le na’o le fa’apipii,o se vaega e lagolago ai le faapipiiina o lau masini CGM,ma faafiafiaina ai oe,o nisi nei o ata o i latou o loo galulue faatasi mo le polokalame,o le tama’ita’i ia Susie.
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Our lab has collaborated with Not Just a Patch , a patch to support your CGM sensor and make you feel confident! Here are some pictures of our research assistant, Susie, rocking a not just a patch!

20/02/2026

O isi mea faigaluega o loo matou faaaogaina e taua o le OGTT,O lenei vai suamalie ua ta’ua o le OGTT e fuaina ai le tulaga o lou s**a,e inuina ina ia siaki ai lou s**a i le taimi ao e maitaga !Matou te talosaga ina i latou e auai ina ia faaoge mai i le 8-12 itula,i le taimi e taunuu ai i le nofoaga o le a faia ai lenei polokalame o le a taumafa ai le vai suamalie lea ona matou mata’ituina ai loa le s**a o le toto.O le OGTT e taua e iloa ai le vave ma le telegese o gaioiga o le kulukose mai i le toto i totonu o sela. Pe afai ae faailoa mai i le masini le tulaga maualuga i soo se taimi,e mafai foi ona faailoa mai ai ma le maualuga o el s**a,toe itiiti aafia i le mai s**a,ia ma le mai s**a i le taimi o le maitaga.
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Another one of the tools we use in this study is called an OGTT. OGTT is an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, used to measure how well your body processes sugar (glucose), used to check for gestational diabetes! We ask participants to fast for 8-12 hours in advance, and when they arrive they drink a glucose solution and we monitor their blood sugar. The OGTT is important to see how quickly or slowly your body moves glucose from blood into the cells. If levels are higher than normal at any point, that can indicate diabetes, pre-diabetes, or gestational diabetes!

20/02/2026

🇦🇸🇦🇸 American Samoa 🇦🇸 🇦🇸

The GROW Study is enrolling women in their first trimester who are living in American Samoa.

📞 684-699-5221
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20/02/2026

19/02/2026

Tatou talanoa pe faapefea ona galue le CGM: O se masini laititi e faapipii i le pa’u o lou lima,o lenei masini e faaauau pea ona fuaina ai le maualuga o lou kulukose ma le vai i le va o ou sela,e faitau i minute uma,e te maua ai se iuga pe faapefea ona suia le maualuga ! O nei faamatalaga e tuuina atu i luga o le laiga i se masini laititi e mafai ai ona matou vaai ma iloa pe faapefea ona suia ou tulaga i le 10 o a*o. O nei faamaumauga e fesoa*oani atili ai ia i matou ina ia matou iloa ai ona fuafua lau taumafa i meaai,o au gaioiga,ma le olaga e aafia ai lou mai s**a.
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Let’s talk about how a CGM works: it is a tiny sensor placed just under the skin on your arm. This sensor continuously measures your glucose levels in the fluid between your cells, taking readings every few minutes. This gives you a constant view of how your levels are changing! This data gets transmitted wirelessly to a small device where we can see how your levels have changed over the 10 days of wear. This information helps us understand how diet, activity, and lifestyle affect your blood sugar!

18/02/2026

O le na ua e malamalama i nisi o vaega ma le taua o la matou polokalame,ma le faasaienisi i tua atu,o le taimi la lenei,o le a’oa’oina e uiga i mea faigaluega e fesoa*oani ia i matou i le faatinoina o galuega ia ma fesoa*oani foi ia i matou i le aoina o faamatalaga e uiga i galuega. O le isi igoa o mea faigaluega e ta’ua o le CGM,poo le masini e mata’ituina ai pea le kulukose,o se faiga e siaki ai le maualuga o le s**a,i le ao ma le po. E fa’aaoga e nisi o matou sui auai ta’ito’atasi se CGM e siaki ai suiga o le kulukose i se taimi!
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Now that you know a little bit about what our study is, and the sciences behind it, now it’s time to learn about the tools that help us track our data! One of those tools is called the CGM, or the continuous glucose monitor, which is a system that tracks blood sugar (glucose) levels in real-time throughout the day and night. Each of our GROW participants uses a CGM to track their glucose changes over time!

17/02/2026

✨ Learn more about our HOPE study:

14/02/2026

O lea la ua tatou iloa ma malamalama uma i vaega ma le polokalame o le tuputupu a’e,male CREBRF,tatou tu’ufaatasia uma polokalame nei,ma le faamoemoe e atia’e ai se lelei ma le toe vaai mamao ai i le polokalame o le GDM e ala i le su’esu’eina o le CREBRF,o se vaega e mafai ona lagolagoina e le soifua maloloina mo fafine ma tamaiti i totonu o Amerika Samoa,O Samoa,ia ma le lalolagi atoa

Fa’aauau pea ona mulimuli atu e a’oa’o atili e uiga i le fa’aga*ologa o mea faigaluega o loo aofia i la tatou su’esuega!

E lua a matou su’esu’ega o lo’o faapena ona faatautaia iinei i Amerika Samoa e patino tonu lea i Tina ma’itaga. A fa’apea o lo’o e ma’itaga i le 3 masina muamua o le tauafuafua ? po’o ua lata i le masina e te fanau ai? Faamolemole fa’afeso’ota’i mai le matou ofisa i le 684-699-5221 po’o le 684-731-3724 pea e fia malamalama atili.
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So, now that we know all about the GROW study, its components, and the CREBRF variant, let’s bring it all together. The GROW study aims to develop genetic screening tools for GDM and child obesity by studying the CREBRF variant, something that can support the health of women and children across American Samoa, Samoa, and even around the globe!

Keep following along to learn more about the process and tools involved in our study!

Two of our studies in American Samoa are currently recruiting pregnant women. If you are early in pregnancy (less than 14 weeks pregnant) or in the third trimester, please give us a call on 684-699-5221 or 684-731-3724 if you would like to learn more.

13/02/2026

13/02/2026

Mo le fesuiaiga o le CREBRF,o tagata e iai le AA e foliga mai e lapopoa o latou tino,e 20 pauna le mamafa ma le 1 inisi le maualuga nai lo i latou e iai le GG. Ae o le vaega e ofo ai,e ui lava ina lapopoa o latou tino ,e tusa ma le afa o le lamatiaga o le atina’e o le mai s**a i le ituaiga 2

E le gata i le ituaiga kenera o le AA e puipuia mai i le mai s**a i le ituaiga 2,ae e matua faaitiitia ai foi le avanoa e tupu ai le mai s**a i le taimi o le maitaga,o se ituaiga mai s**a e tupu ao maitaga.
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For the CREBRF variant, people with the AA version tend to have larger bodies, being 20 pounds heavier and 1 inch taller than those with the GG version. But surprisingly, even though their body is bigger, they have about half the risk of developing type 2 diabetes!

And not only does the AA version protect against type 2 diabetes, but it greatly lowers the chance of developing gestational diabetes, which is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can lead to babies being larger, and can possibly cause long term health effects for the baby.

12/02/2026

I le vaia*o ua tuanai,na matou talatalanoa ai e uiga i le polokalame o le Grow poo le tuputupua’e, na talatalanoa ma oo ai foi le talanoaga i vaega ua ta’ua o kenera. I le tausaga 2010,na faia ai e le vaega su’esu’e a le Olaga se su’esu’ega i Samoa, ma maua ai se fa’avasegaga tulaga ese i le kenera CREBRF e lei va’aia muamua i isi tagata,na matou ta’ua lea vaega o le CREBRF,ma e tolu ituaiga : AA,AG,GG.O le tele o tagata i le lalolagi e tasi le ituaiga o lenei kenera,ae o le vae
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Last week, we talked all about the GROW study, and all of that has led up to a single gene. In 2010, the Obesity, Lifestyle, and Genetic Adaptations (OLaGA) Study Group conducted a genetic study in Samoa, and discovered a unique genetic variant on the gene CREBRF, never before seen in other populations! We call this the CREBRF variant, and there are three possible types: AA, AG, or GG. Most people around the world have one type of this gene, GG, but what’s really special is that the A versions are uniquely common in Samoans, with 45% of Samoans having either the AA or AG variant.