‍How Is the Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Weight Loss Encoded by the Genome?

What is the best diet for weight loss? What should we eat for healthy aging? This what-should-we-eat topic is always popular, as people are always looking for more answers to their health. 

The Mediterranean diet is one of the diets which has been confirmed to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. A Mediterranean diet is formed from a combination of plant-based foods with moderate amounts of seafood, dairy, poultry, and, occasionally, red meat. Olive oil is the main source of added fat, and sweets are a rare treat. 

Studies have confirmed that the abundant supply of antioxidants provided by the Mediterranean diet can improve and even reverse the effects of being genetically predisposed to certain diseases. 

It sounds healthy, but is it the best diet plan for all body types? Find out how well the Mediterranean diet and weight loss will work based on your unique genetics.

‍Is the Mediterranean Suited for You? Your Genes Could Help Decide

Americans spend billions of dollars on weight loss plans, diet meals, books, pills, gym memberships, and workout equipment trying to get healthier. Unfortunately, obesity rates are higher than ever along with related diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Wouldn’t it be amazing if a DNA test could help people crack the code for healthy and lasting weight loss? Genetics could at least partially explain why a specific diet can work for some people but not for others. Finding out if the Mediterranean diet and weight loss are a good combination could be as easy as taking a saliva test. 

Nutrigenomics, the study of the interaction between genes and nutritions, is helping people find eating plans that are more likely to work for them. A diet like the Mediterranean diet that emphasizes whole foods, lean proteins, and healthy fats is probably healthy for almost anyone, but your genetic responses to the recommended foods may not necessarily help you lose weight. 

Study of the Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Weight Loss

Recent clinical and epidemiological studies have shown significant relationships between chronobiology and obesity. For example, shift work, sleep deprivation, and bright light exposure at night have been associated with increased obesity.

Although our understanding of the biological clock model continues to evolve, previous studies have established that Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK), which is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythm, is also involved in metabolism. However, no study has yet reported relationships between CLOCK gene polymorphisms and weight loss in response to a specific diet. 

‍In this study, researchers investigated whether five candidate polymorphisms from the CLOCK gene were associated with changes in body, metabolism or weight loss in response to a 28-week behavioral weight reduction program based on the Mediterranean diet. 

They recruited overweight or obese subjects (BMI>25 kg m-2 and <40 kg m-2) within the age range of 20–65 years (n = 500) who attended 2008 five outpatient obesity clinics in southeastern Spain. Participants were provided a weekly 60-min therapy session by a nutritionist. Dietary individual energy requirements were assessed by calculating resting energy expenditure and total energy expenditure. 

The recommendations were consistent with the Mediterranean type of diet and the macronutrient distribution followed the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition recommendations. There were significant associations with weight and BMI among the five polymorphisms for SNPs rs3749474 and rs1801260 and with waist for rs3749474 at baseline.

However, after the treatment, only rs1801260 showed an association with differences in body weight reduction. Patients with the minor allele (G) were less successful in losing weight after adjusting for baseline BMI. The difficulty in losing weight was particularly evident after 12 weeks of treatment.

In conclusion, in this intervention trial performed in a Mediterranean population, the researchers replicated previous studies that reported relationships between CLOCK gene polymorphisms and obesity. These data suggest that CLOCK gene polymorphisms may predict weight loss success in response to a low-energy diet. If you would like to know more about this research, you can read the study here:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20065968/

How to Find Mediterranean Diet Genes With Genomelink

Science may still be years away from pinpointing which exact diet plan is best suited for every person’s genetics, but the more you understand how DNA influences your health, the more effective your efforts toward healthy living will be. 

There’s little question of whether the Mediterranean diet is a healthy one. But is it the best plan to help you lose weight? Your DNA might hold the answer.  

Are you interested in learning more about your genetic tendency for the effect of the Mediterranean diet on weight loss? You can log in to your Genomelink TRAITS to see this new genetic trait.