Abstract
Aim: There is increasing demand for individualized health advice. The aim of this study was to assess the effects on cardiovascular risk markers of receiving personal genetic health information, using apoE genotypes as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes. ApoE was chosen because it had a significant impact on lipid metabolism and cholesterol absorption, all factors for CVD. Methods: This study was a one-year explanatory intervention study for healthy adults, aged between 20 - 67 years old (n = 106). Their clinical markers (serum lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index, body fat percentage and waist circumference) were measured three times during the intervention. The clinical effects were assessed for three groups: a high risk group (e 4+, n = 16); a low-risk group (ε 4-, n = 35); and a control group (n = 55). Results: The triglyceride values and waist circumference lowered more in ε 4+ compared with the control group (p < 0.05; alpha value 0.005) during the intervention. Conclusion: The personal genetic information, based on apoE, may have positive effects on cardiovascular risk markers (e.g., improvement in triglyceride values). The individual health information, based on genotyping could be a potential option in the prevention of CVD. More research is required on how to utilize genotype-based health information in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.
Highlights
Genetic profiling has increasingly become a potential option for preventing lifestyle related diseases [1]-[3]
The hypothesis of this study was that a personalized health message based on the individual’s genetic risk would motivate people to change their lifestyle, which would have a favorable effect on the specific risk factors of Cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
Permanent lifestyle changes occur individually and gradually, future studies on the current topic should include a longer follow-up time, intensive repetition, and targeting is recommended. This explanatory study has demonstrated for the first time that personal health information, based on genetic screening, may have positive effects on CVD risk markers
Summary
Genetic profiling has increasingly become a potential option for preventing lifestyle related diseases [1]-[3]. Several commercial companies offer genetic testing to the public, but genetic screening in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases is not routine practice in public health care [1] [2]. Some reasons for this are the lack of know-how among health care professionals, the lack of resources, and the expense of the tests [8] [9]. Meta-analysis of Song et al (2004) showed that individuals with the apoE Ɛ4 allele may even have 42 % higher risk for CVD than carriers of the apoE 3/3 genotype [15]. No results of health behavior effects on clinical factors in the context of using individualized genotype information, exist [22]
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