The results of the DNA tests

According to US researchers, a basic DNA test taken at Stanford University could be used to predict the most effective food plan for a person on a diet, revealing whether a low carbohydrate or low fat diet will produce the most successful weight loss results.
Results taken from a small primary study of 101Caucasian women showed that the women who were on the diet that was considered the best for their individual genetic make up lost 2-3 times more weight than the other subjects.
The results of the DNA tests, which were presented at an American Heart Association conference, were considered inconclusive by experts, who stated that further investigation should be taken.
Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics is an emerging aspect of DNA test which looks into the interaction of different foods with various gene types.
Historically, people have been aware for sometime that different humans have different reactions to certain foods depending on their genetic makeup, for example lactose intolerance, which is more common among African and Asian people than among Northern Europeans. In DNA testing, dietary treatments based on the results have been implemented in the reduction of disease risk in a number of cases. Past nutritional research placed a lot of emphasis on how deficiencies in various nutrients affected health. Now with nutrigenomics, more emphasis is placed on the optimisation of personal diet to optimise nutritional benefit and to help prevent illness.
The DNA testing explored how efficiently people with different genes managed to lose weight on a variety of weight loss diets.
The DNA test was taken using buccal or cheek swabs taken from the 101 women, who all undertook different diets over the course of a year. The diets were either low fat, very low fat, low in protein or carbohydrate or simply low carbohydrate. Those who were on a diet which was a good match with their genetic makeup found that they lost 2-3 times more weight over the 12 month period in comparison with those who were on an “incompatible” diet.
The group of women were divided into three genotypes. The first was a balanced diet responsive genotype, the second was a low carbohydrate diet responsive, and the third was a low fat diet responsive.
The researchers responded to the DNA tests by saying that the results were only introductory, and much more study would need to be carried out before the results could be used on a commercial basis. Professor Christine Williams of the University of Reading said of the DNA testing carried out in the study: “This is a very intriguing study –though very small.”, going on to suggest that more conclusive results could be reached if researchers could gain a better understanding of the genes involved. However, she also stated that the DNA test correlated with much of the research carried out at Reading, where it was discovered that some subjects responded better to certain fats such as omega 3.