Genetics Versus Calories: Is a Person’s Weight Determined by their DNA or by the Amount of Food They Consume?

How do genes affect your health? Dr. Yael Joffe, Adjunct Professor of nutrigenomics at Rutgers University and Chief Scientific Officer at 3x4 Genetics, has dedicated her career to finding out exactly how much bearing a person’s genetics has on their weight, on their ability to manage it with diet and exercise, and on their heath as a whole. Tune in to discover: What a nutrigenomics diet is and how it can help with weight control How a DNA based diet and fitness regime can activate or deactivate certain genes The connection between DNA based dieting and disease prevention and management Every human being on the planet shares 99.9% of the same DNA. It is the remaining 0.1% that determines the ways in which we are all unique from each other. Yael explains how she has led the way in the emerging field of nutrigenomics and personalized nutrition. The nutrigenetic testing she has developed can be used to analyze a person’s hunger cues, satiety response, fat burning abilities, behavioral responses to food, and more. Genetic variants like the FTO and LEP genes can help to predict whether a particular person will struggle with binge eating, excessive grazing or snacking behaviors, or food addiction, and how much Leptin their body will produce. Leptin plays a major role in energy regulation and hunger signals. Depending on what is revealed by a person’s nutrigenetic testing, he or she may be given specific diet and exercise recommendations or referred to a behavioral therapist. It may turn out that genetics play no real role in some men and women’s difficulty with body weight or weight loss. In some cases, other avenues may still need to be explored. For the time being, Dr. Joffe’s nutrigenetic DNA testing is available to physicians only. If you are interested in being tested, visit https://www.3x4genetics.com/ to find a participating provider in your area. Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK