EACH of us has a unique body chemistry and genetic make-up which determines how our body responds to food and exercise.
Yet despite the overwhelming evidence of the role of genetics in the development of obesity, most weight-management programmes have until now focused exclusively on dietary restriction and physical activity – eating less and moving more.
Scientists now know that no diet or weight-management lifestyle is optimal for everyone. Nutrigenomics is the emerging science of personalised, gene-smart nutrition that studies the interaction between genes, diet and lifestyle factors.
Understanding your own genes gives you the power to minimise weight loss and optimise your health by adjusting your diet and lifestyle to your own unique set of genes. One size fits all is out and personalised nutrition is in.
South African biotechnology leader DNAlysis has developed a range of non-invasive DNA tests that identify specific genes linked to optimum health, weight loss and weight management.
The tests, among the first of their kind in the world, provide the opportunity to personalise diet and exercise interventions, and recommend nutritional supplementation according to an individual’s unique genetic profile.
The DNAlysis team has combined expertise in the fields of molecular biology, human genetics, gene mapping, nutritional genomics and dietetics. It is led by South African molecular biologist, Dr Daniel Meyersfeld, the founder of DNAlysis Biotechnology and co-developer of DNA Health and DNA Diet.
Meyersfeld says “Over the past few years our research team has identified eight key genes linked to weight loss and weight loss resistance.
We are extremely close to being able to deliver the benefits of nutritional genomics to the public at an affordable price, which will change weight loss strategies forever.
The benefits will be especially significant in people who have had difficulty losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight in the past.
”DNAlysis’s two products, DNA Diet and DNA Health, each incorporates a simple genetic test and a lifestyle programme based on an individual’s unique genetic variants. According to Meyersfeld, the two products will be launched in South Africa in
March 2010, and will be available through accredited dietitians and health practitioners, as well as online.
