SCIENCE & WELLNESS
MAKING IT PERSONAL More commonly associated with crime scenes and paternity tests, DNA testing is going mainstream – and it’s time for health clubs to get on board. Kath Hudson reports
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ach time you have a new member, rather than embarking on a training programme you think will progress them towards their goals, wouldn’t it be great to immediately give them a training programme and diet plan that’s tailored to their genetic makeup – a way of helping them get better, and quicker, results? Wouldn’t it also be great to know the member is more engaged and motivated to change their behaviour, because they know their programme is perfectly tailored to them and not the result of informed guesswork? With DNA tests tailored to health and fitness now costing as little as £99, this knowledge is now available to everyone. BETTER, FASTER RESULTS DNA testing might conjure up images of laboratories and blood samples, but it’s very simple to do: a quick mouth swab can simply be popped in the post. Fitness profiles commonly tested for are power, endurance, risk of injury and recovery time. Meanwhile, from a nutrition
CHRIS COLLINS Product developer, My Inner Go
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t the moment, gym instructors are only taking individuals’ stated goals and environment into account when designing training and nutrition plans. DNA testing allows for genuine personalisation based on genetics.
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point of view, DNA profiling can reveal how people react to carbs or saturated fats, and which type of diet suits them best. It can also uncover any intolerances, as well as vitamin deficiencies, that might be causing issues – a suppressed immune system or fatigue, for example. So how effective are DNA-based programmes? Anecdotal evidence says that, if people follow their training programmes, results are both better and quicker. A two-year study of 191 obese people – conducted by the University of Trieste in Italy – also showed encouraging results. Those on DNA-based diets lost 33 per cent more weight than those who were simply counting calories. They also gained more muscle mass and their BMI went down by an average of 1.8 points, compared with 1.3 for the other group. But is there a down side to all this science? Do consumers want it? Do the resulting programmes guarantee success? What are the barriers to introducing the tests, and what infrastructure needs to be put in place to make them work well? Will you get left behind if you don’t offer this service?
We test for 187 genetic variants, within 30–40 genes, to inform decisions about which sports and nutrition people are most suited to, as well as identifying any vitamin deficiencies. It’s not about being told you can’t do a sport, but rather how to make the best of your attributes: whether you’re more suited to power or endurance activities. For example, if we test a footballer and find out they’re not suited to endurance activity, they know they need to focus more on the skill and power movements.
healthclubmanagement.co.uk January 2016 ©Cybertrek 2016
It’s a way of knowing yourself better and then using that information. DNA testing allows clubs to take training to a more scientific level. It could be offered as part of the membership or could be another revenue stream; it also offers an opportunity to upsell people into PT. In addition, by helping members get better results, it also aids retention. In the next five years, operators will be forced to embrace this technology – so better to buy into it now and make a name for themselves.