Weight loss: What do genes have to do with it?
There’s no doubt about it. Obesity is an epidemic. The most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that one-third of U.S. adults are obese; another one-third are overweight.
One more company is jumping on the bandwagon to try and profit from our society’s obsession with weight. Inherent Health, a division of Interleukin Genetics Inc., says that genes play a major role in weight loss and that knowing your genetic profile can help you win “the battle of the bulge.”
The test is easy; buy it online for $149 and they’ll mail you a kit which allows you to collect DNA with a swab from the inside of your cheek. The return postage is even free. The laboratory looks for specific Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in four different genes (FABP2, PPARG, ADRB2, and ADRB3). The result of this test is a weight management profile to “guide your diet and exercise program based upon genetic differences in metabolism and fat absorption.” Consumers receive information on whether they are most likely to benefit from a diet that is low-fat or low-carb. Alternatively, some may receive test results which indicate that their genetic profile is most likely to respond to a balanced diet.
Stanford researchers tested the validity of this science and the results were promising. Among a sample of approximately 140 overweight or obese women, those who were compliant with the diet suggested by their genetic profile lost more weight than women who were not (5.3 percent loss of body weight as compared to 2.3 percent). However, I would argue that winning the “battle of the bulge” is much more complicated than understanding a couple of random variations in our genes.
The SNPs which are being tested for in this panel have been around for hundreds of years and present throughout multiple generations; so, why is it that we are only seeing the scales tip so unfavorably in recent decades? It’s because these genetic variations only have a minor impact on our weight. Environmental factors, such as our lifestyle and health behaviors, have a major impact. Our society promotes a tendency toward being overweight due to the overconsumption of food, increased availability of unhealthy foods, and decreased amounts of physical activity.
So, if you’re looking to lose weight, should you take this test first? I’d suggest you should keep the money in your pocket — you’ll be more successful if you use it to pay for a gym membership or fresh produce.
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