One of the first products of its kind in the world, DNA Diet tests for genes that impact metabolism and exercise. The genes comprising the DNA Diet test have associations with body weight and body mass index,  and all meet stringent criteria for utility in genetic screening tests.  We provide a detailed report with recommendations that include dietary changes and an exercise programme.

Genes involved in regulation of energy expenditure, appetite, and fat metabolism, all play an important role in weight regulation. In fact 40% to 80% of the variance in body weight is due to genetic factors. This helps to explain why not everyone gains or loses weight while following the same diet, despite being exposed to similar environments. Identifying an individual’s responsiveness to diet and lifestyle modification to control weight can be extremely advantageous.
 
Genetics determines an individual’s susceptibility to obesity when exposed to an unfavourable environment. It also explores the way a person responds to diet and exercise.

While healthy nutrition may in certain cases result in weight loss, this depends on many factors. The DNA diet provides a tailor made nutrition and exercise programme. Healthy eating and exercise may result in weight loss, but this is not guaranteed.

Clinical Value

• Provides strategies for weight management based on genetic make-up
• Provides motivation to individuals with a goal to lose weight
• Provides an understanding of why previous weight management programmes may have  been unsuccessful
• Provides insight to which diet type (i.e. Mediterranean style, low carbohydrate, low fat diet) may be most suited to an individual to manage weight, based on genotype 

The DNA Diet Test Report provides:

• The level of impact of any genetic variants identified 
• An explanation of their impact on weight management
• Appropriate nutritional and lifestyle recommendations.  This includes weight management priorities, diet plan principles, exercise planning and how to calculate MET hours

Overview

Tests for: 
Genes that impact metabolism, insulin sensitivity, satiety and feeding behaviour. 
 
Analytes measured:

Absorption and Metabolism
FABP2:  Influences fat absorption and metabolism.
PPARG: Involved in adipocyte differentiation. It is a transcription factor activated by fatty acids, and is also involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism.
ADRB2:  Involved in the mobilisation of fat from fat cells for energy, in response to catecholamines.
APOA5: Plays an important role in regulation of plasma triglycerides.
 
Fat Metabolism, Obesity and Satiety
APOA2: An abundant apolipoprotein in HDL. Plays a complex role in lipoprotein metabolism, insulin resistance, obesity and atherosclerosis susceptibility.
 
Regulation of Metabolism and Feeding Behaviour
MC4R: A strong obesity candidate gene, significantly associated with energy intake and expenditure.
 
Insulin Sensitivity and Regulation of Energy Intake
FTO: Involved in the regulation of arousal, appetite, temperature, autonomic function and  endocrine system.
TCF7L2: Regulates blood glucose homeostasis, influencing both insulin secretion and sensitivity.
 
Exercise Responsiveness
ADBR3: Involved in the regulation of lypolysis that influences metabolism.
 
Circadian Rhythms
CLOCK: An essential regulatory arm of the biological clock, involved in metabolic regulation.
 
Fat Storage
PLIN: Influences diet-induced obesity.
 
Inflammation
TNF-A: TNFa is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, secreted by both macrophages and adipocytes, which has been shown to alter whole body glucose homeostasis, and has been implicated in the development of obesity, obesity-related insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.
 
Carbohydrate Sensitivity and Eating Behaviour
TAS1R2: Believed to contribute to the inter-individual variation in sugar consumption.
SLC2A2 (GLUT2): Influences the first step in glucose induced insulin secretion, affecting both food intake  and regulation.
DRD2: Midbrain dopamine circuits may play an important role in both addiction and normal eating behaviour as they are involved in reward processing, particularly dopaminergic signalling via dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2).

Practical

Test type:
DNA: Gene, diet, exercise, weight management

Sample required:
Bloodspot

Privacy policy:
The DNA and the original sample material are destroyed after 3 months, so that there are no names or other identifiers on the samples. The samples are analysed only for the SNPs that are included in the tests at DNALife, and no other research or analyses are performed without a separate permission from the patient. We do not give or sell the results to any third parties.