What are the advantages of a DNA diet?

Research suggests that we find it easier to stick to more personalised dietary advice, with genetically-tailored diets showing the biggest difference compared to how people follow more generic diets. It’s unclear exactly why this is the case, though, with some experts believing that such diets simply prompt us to change our eating patterns for the better, rather than because they are specifically tailored to our requirements.

Long term, however, this could mean that DNA diets may be a good way of managing some of the health risks associated with poor nutrition, such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

“Genetics and epigenetics is an emerging area of research when it comes to factors such as obesity medicine,” explains GP and founder of wellbeing platform Wellgood Wellbeing, Dr Zoe Watson. “And so much is being learnt about how our environment and what we eat interacts with our genes – it’s an exciting area of study.”

And it’s certainly fascinating to discover how our bodies react to different foods.

“A good example would be where an individual metabolises carbohydrates quicker than average and struggles with spikes in blood sugar, which could then be managed by adjusting diet,” says Godart.

“Or perhaps your body isn’t utilising certain vitamins as best as it could, so you could benefit from increasing these via your diet,” she adds.

DNA diets: are personalised genetic diets the future of nutrition and wellbeing?