About HELIUS

HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) has been studying the health of Amsterdam residents from different ethnic backgrounds since 2010, including people of Dutch, Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan and Ghanaian background. The study is a collaboration between Amsterdam UMC and GGD Amsterdam. It aims to understand health differences between groups and the factors that contribute to these differences, with the goal of reducing health inequalities. The focus is on cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases and mental health. Earlier data collection rounds have provided important insights into the development and progression of health and disease in Amsterdam.

What does participation involve?

From autumn 2026, participants will be invited to take part in a new round of data collection. During this round, participants will complete a questionnaire, undergo a physical examination and provide biological samples. These new data will further improve our understanding of changes in health and the factors involved.

HELIUS Next

Alongside the third data collection round, HELIUS Next will be launched. This new sub-study focuses on young adults aged 18 to 30 in Amsterdam with a Turkish, Moroccan or Surinamese background. It includes individuals who were born in the Netherlands, whose parents were also born in the Netherlands, and who have at least one grandparent born in Turkey, Morocco or Suriname. HELIUS Next focuses on mental health, overweight and post-COVID conditions. It also examines how health differs compared with peers without a migration background, and between first, second and third generations.

This third data collection round of the HELIUS study is supported by Amsterdam UMC, GGD Amsterdam, the Dutch Heart Foundation, Lexces, and a research impulse from the University of Amsterdam.

More information

More information about the study can be found at www.heliusstudy.nl.