The secret to successful diet and exercise plans may have been within us all along. It’s not what you think. We’re talking about DNA.
Nutrigenomics, the scientific study of the interaction of nutrition and genes, contributing to a growing area of nutritional medicine that offers dietary prescriptions — including personalized diet plans based on nutrigenomics.
What is nutrigenomics?
Nutrigenomics examines the relationship between genes and nutrition and how our bodies respond to the food we consume.
This knowledge can also help plan ways to promote activity in our “good” genes. Diet plans based on nutrigenomics rely on an analysis of your DNA to inform dietary recommendations that meet your personal nutritional and health needs and help prevent nutrition-related chronic diseases.
Why DNA plans are so different than others
Personalized diet plans have been around for a while.
Around the year 2000, it was becoming more popular for people to lose weight by eating and exercising according to their blood type. However, the research wasn’t strong enough to support the hype until fairly recently.
The Human Genome Project (HPG) helped researchers gain new insight into the relationship between bioactive compounds in food and their effect on genes and overall health.
How it works
Research has shown that our DNA has a lot to do with how our bodies react to certain foods and exercises.
Research also suggests that knowledge of our genetics can influence how well we comply with dietary prescriptions.
The British Medical Journal published a study in 2019 that highlighted how individuals that were given nutrigenomics-guided dietary advice for total fat and saturated fat intake significantly reduced their long-term intake compared to gold-standard population-based interventions.
Should you try DNA dieting?
The answer is, we don’t know if you should try DNA dieting. Aside from the fact research still needs to be done on the process, nutrigenomic testing is expensive. The price for a test and analysis starts at around $300.
Fortunately, there are many other tests that can provide analysis on the genes involved in nutrient metabolism and response, including Ancestry and 23andMe. However, it’s important to consult a specialist to look at your information and provide a personalized recommendation.
If you’re interested in learning more about DNA-based diets, speak to your doctor about getting a referral to a reputable medical group that offers nutrigenomic testing.
It also seems as if some of the tests can be a bit misleading. It seems your behavior matters a lot more than your DNA in these instances.
Based on your genes, there might be a slightly higher chance you’d lose weight with a certain type of diet, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t gain weight on it if you’re eating more than you’re burning, explains Erica Ramos, who is also a clinical genomic specialist at Illumina, a research company.
Overall, for now, it pays to lead a common-sense lifestyle through diet and exercise.
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