Can the “DNA Diet” help reduce health risks associated with high blood sugar?

A British trial found that a DNA-tailored diet could help manage blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in high-risk people.

The findings come from a small pilot study by Imperial College London and DnaNudge in 148 people with high blood sugar levels at risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).

The results show that following personalized dietary advice based on genetic information, combined with face-to-face dietary guidance from a medical professional, is more effective in lowering blood sugar levels than standard dietary guidance based on the National Institute for Health Care Evaluation. I understand that. (NICE) guidelines. This is the current standard of care in the UK.

Although the study is in its early stages, researchers say it is a promising example of how genetic data can help prevent long-term conditions and improve health.

They point out that larger trials are needed to validate the findings and ensure that this approach is suitable for use in clinical settings and for a variety of people and conditions.

Regius Professor Chris Tumaszou, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London and co-author of DnaNudge, said: ‘Genetic profiles for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol can reveal how individuals “You can find out if you are likely to consume harmful foods.” Reducing the risk of these conditions, for better or for worse, allows for individualized advice on dietary intake of fats, carbohydrates, and other macronutrients.

“Our pilot study applying this to people with pre-diabetes has shown promising results, showing that genetically informed diets are more effective when compared with and in combination with standard NICE-guided advice. This suggests that this may be an effective intervention.”

The results of the pilot study are as follows. published in scientific report.

Lifestyle changes

Prediabetes is a term used to classify when a person’s blood sugar levels are consistently higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be classified as T2D. Unlike diabetes, “prediabetes” is reversible, but if left untreated, up to 10% of prediabetics will progress to her T2D each year.

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and lower limb amputations. There are currently 4.9 million people living with diabetes in the UK, 90% of whom have T2D.

By making lifestyle changes, you can cut your chances of progressing from prediabetes to T2D by half. In the UK, GPs, nurses and other health professionals are using her NICE interventions to improve people’s diets and increase physical activity. However, such interventions are costly and labor intensive and may require multiple appointments.

Certain genetic traits can predict a person’s risk of developing diet-related chronic diseases, and changing salt, fat, and saturated fat to address cardiovascular risk or to address T2D risk emphasizes the importance of dietary modifications, such as changing sugar and saturated fat intake.

Building on this, Imperial spin-out company DnaNudge has developed a framework for delivering personalized meal plans based on people’s genetic profiles, which can be obtained from saliva samples.

To test the effect of a DNA-based diet on prediabetes, researchers recruited 148 people with high blood sugar levels and measured fasting plasma glucose (FPG – the level of sugar in the blood between meals) and glycated hemoglobin. Baseline measurements were taken. HbA1c) blood sugar level. Participants also completed a questionnaire outlining how often they consumed certain foods.

The team then randomly assigned participants to one of three groups. In the control group, subjects received coaching from a nutritionist only through her NICE guidance. In the intervention group, participants received coaching and DNA-based dietary therapy. The other was an exploratory group, where subjects received no coaching but were self-guided by DnaNudge’s app and wearable device to scan barcodes while shopping and receive personalized food and drink recommendations based on their DNA. Now you can receive it.

They retested participants’ FPG and HbA1c at 6, 12, and 26 weeks.

They found that at 6 weeks there was no statistically significant difference between both groups, but at 26 weeks participants using the DNA-based diet with and without the DnaNudge app compared to the control group. Both FPG and HbA1c were found to be significantly reduced regardless of the

At 26 weeks, compared to the control group, the intervention group had an average decrease in FPG of 0.019 mmol/L and HbA1c by 0.038 mmol/mol, whereas the exploration group had a decrease in FPG of 0.021 mmol/L. , there was no decrease. With HbA1c.

Opportunity to reduce risk

Co-author Professor Nick Oliver, clinical consultant in diabetes and endocrinology in the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction at Imperial College London, said: ‘People and their healthcare professionals need to be aware of the risks before progressing to type 2 diabetes. There is an opportunity to reduce this.” While NICE’s guidance on lifestyle changes (e.g. eating fruit, vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains) is evidence-based and effective for populations, our findings suggest that diet This suggests that personalization, by genetically tailoring advice to individuals, could have an impact. You’ll get an even bigger effect. ”

The researchers said the results should be treated with caution because of the small size of the study, 148, and that the results should be confirmed in a larger randomized controlled trial.

They also note that genetic risk factors for T2D may have a limited impact when compared to other biological or socioeconomic vulnerabilities and inequalities in health care access related to race and ethnicity. It points out that there is.

They now plan to conduct a large multinational trial with thousands of participants to validate their results. Larger sample sizes also allow for the inclusion of diverse ethnic and gender outcomes, which may influence the likelihood of developing T2D.

Dr Maria Calvera, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London and co-lead author of DnaNudge, said: ‘Clinical research into personalized nutrition and type 2 diabetes is still in its infancy; “This study adds to the evidence supporting the value of personalized nutrition.” If validated, our intervention could provide a cost-effective, widely distributable, and easily scalable prevention tool to improve glycemic control in high-risk individuals. . ”