Harnessing big data to enhance patient care and improve quality of life

Project overview

Allostatic load refers to the cumulative ‘wear and tear’ on the body resulting from chronic stress. It is typically measured using multi-system biomarkers that capture dysregulation across neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems, such as cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, inflammatory markers, cholesterol profiles, glucose levels and waist–hip ratio.

Increasing evidence highlights the role of social structures in shaping allostatic load, particularly in disadvantaged communities within society. Our research uses large-scale cohort studies such as ‘Understanding Society’, each tracking tens of thousands of individuals, to map population-level longitudinal trajectories. This allows us to examine how early-life experiences of adversity shape diverse health outcomes across groups differing in age, ethnicity, sex, socio-economic position, neighbourhood safety and other key biopsychosocial indicators.