Researchers behind a latest study suggest that the diet of the future is “precision dieting” that uses the information in your DNA to determine the right workouts and nutrition to get the body you want. Study leader Dr Molly Bray, a geneticist and professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Texas at Austin, said: ‘I think within five years, we’ll see people start to use a combination of genetic, behavioral and other sophisticated data to develop individualized weight management plans.’ in the study published in the journal Obesity.
In the near future, patients may be able to submit saliva samples for gene sequencing. The researchers said automated sensors would be used to collect information about factors including a person’s environment, diet, activity and stress levels. A computer algorithm would then be used to collate the information, before providing patients with a specific recommendation tailored to them, to help them achieve their target weight. Scientists already have the ability to collect the kinds of data they need to do the fundamental research behind precision weight loss, the study found.
Genome sequencing is becoming progressively more affordable. Moreover, portable monitors including Fitbit are being more commonly used to track in real time people’s behavior and environment. However, the real challenge now is for researchers to develop tools to actually analyze this data. Dr Bray said: ‘We are pretty good at helping people lose weight in the short term. ‘But the stats on long-term weight loss are pretty dismal.
Bray said scientists have already made great advancements in studying and analyzing what drives eating behavior, how fat cells are formed, and how metabolism changes before and after becoming obese, but they need a closer look into the role genes play in order to get the bigger picture and create long-term treatment solutions to the obesity epidemic.
“Obesity is one of the gravest problems of our times,” Bray said. “Obviously prevention would be the best approach, but there are literally millions of individuals who are currently obese and are in dire need of more effective strategies for long-term weight loss that will ultimately improve overall health.”
Bray and her research team are part of a working group created by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in an effort to personalize treatment for obesity patients. Currently, there are more than 2,500 genetic tests available, but according to the findings, it’s still unclear whether or not they can be used to identify genes driving obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. Because genetic data is undergoing massive overhauls in the way they are collected, stored, and utilized, researchers believe there will be a way to identify the underlying genetic causations of obesity in the near future. The scientists said that better analytical tools need to be developed to discover the relationships between genetics, behavior and weight-related diseases.
‘Obviously prevention would be the best approach, but there are literally millions of individuals who are currently obese and are in dire need of more effective strategies for long-term weight loss that will improve overall health’ said Dr. Bray.
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