Public Data Commons

This two-year PHI-funded study investigates how diet quality and sugar-sweetened beverage intake relate to the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs)—harmful compounds linked to chronic disease such as cancer risk. Building on the Partnership to Improve Community Health (PICH) cohort, which examines diet, environment, and biological aging. This project expands the research to include AGEs as a novel biomarker of cancer risk. Approximately 260 adults will participate, providing dietary data through validated questionnaires. AGE levels will be measured noninvasively using a portable AGE Reader, which assesses skin autofluorescence in seconds. Through strong community engagement, this project aims to better understand dietary patterns that influence AGE accumulation and lay the groundwork for future interventions to reduce AGEs and, ultimately, lower cancer risk in underserved populations.