Changes in anxiety and depression levels and meat intake following recognition of low genetic risk for high body mass index, triglycerides, and lipoproteins: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BackgroundPsychological status affects dietary intake, and recognizing genetic information can lead to behavior changes by influencing psychological factors such as anxiety or depression.ObjectivesIn this study, we examined the effects of disclosing genetic information on anxiety or depression levels and the association between these psychological factors and dietary intake.MethodsA total of 100 healthy adults were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 65) informed about their genetic test results regarding body mass index and lipid profiles (triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations) and a not-informed control group (CON, n = 35). Based on polygenic risk scores, participants in the intervention group were subclassified into an intervention-low risk (ILR, n = 32) and an intervention-high risk (IHR, n = 33) group. Nutrient and food intakes were assessed via a 3-day dietary record at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Depression and anxiety levels were measured using PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires, and the relative levels of blood metabolites were measure using GC-MS/MS analysis.ResultsNoticeable changes in dietary intake as well as psychological factors were observed in male subjects, with those perceiving their genetic risks as low (ILR) showing a significant increase in protein intake at 3 months compared to baseline (ILR: 3.9 ± 1.4, pConclusionsTaken together, anxiety levels were decreased in male subjects who perceived their genetic risk to be low, and the decrease in anxiety levels was associated with an increase in meat intake. This suggests that recognizing genetic information may affect psychological factors and dietary intake.