Precision Nutrition May Be Key to Losing Weight
Different people experience varying levels of success while using the same diet plan. This often makes it challenging for everyone to follow broad dietary advice. While previous nutritional guidance points towards eating fewer calories to lose weight, USDA science found that a certain gene variant in our bodies may influence our ability to lose weight when following either a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet.
The research, conducted by ARS scientists at the USDA’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston, MA, was highlighted in a recent issue of Obesity.
Scale, measuring tape, and healthy food on red background, (Getty images)
Saturated fat intake, a prominent component of a typical American diet, can trigger the APOA2 gene to operate differently between people. The APOA2 gene stabilizes the HDL (or healthier) form of cholesterol-carrying particles found in lipid (fat) metabolism. The gene also assists in regulating cholesterol movement through human cells. ARS scientists found that participants with one version of the APOA2 gene lost more weight on a low-carbohydrate (i.e., high fat) diet. Those with another version of the APOA2 gene initially lost weight on a low-carbohydrate diet but started gaining weight at the end of the 12-month intervention.
Building upon a 2018 study that identified no significant difference at the end of a 12-month intervention in weight change between a healthy low-fat diet vs a healthy low-carbohydrate diet, ARS scientists subsequently found that different variations of the APOA2 gene have different abilities to respond to one diet type or another. The research was observed in various ethnicities and often based on personal dietary preferences (which includes the amount of saturated fat in the diet), and cultural traditions.
“When we understand how different genes interact with specific diets, it becomes possible to optimize weight loss and overall health more effectively,” said ARS Research Molecular Biologist Chao-Qiang Lai. “These findings highlight the potential of precision nutrition to offer tailored dietary recommendations based on genetic makeup.”
Genetics, both in terms of family history and specific gene-based tests, are topics that a person can broach with their physician. Importantly, more research is underway to develop ways that people can be tested for this and many other genes.
An important aspect of the research will be to partner with universities to deliver science-based solutions that promote and elevate food and nutrition security throughout the nation. This research can be critical to the health industry and precision nutrition across the nation.
By: Autumn Canaday, ARS Office of Communications
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The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.