New gene test may help choose your diet

The study was conducted by researchers at California's Stanford University, on about 140 overweight or obese women.

Results showed that those on diets suitable for their genetic makeup lost more weight than those on less appropriate diets, researchers told an American Heart Association meeting.

Interleukin's $149 test detects mutations in three genes, known as FABP2, PPARG and ADRB2.

The Massachusetts-based company says 39 percent of white Americans have the low-fat genotype, 45 percent respond best to a low processed carbohydrates diet, and 16 percent have gene mutations, so they have to look out for both fat and processed carbohydrates.

The researchers randomly assigned around 140 women to one of four diets -- the low-carb Atkins diet, the ultra low-fat Ornish diet, the very low-fat LEARN diet or the more balanced Zone diet, and Interleukin tested about 100 of them for their DNA by using a cheek swab and examined if the women on the "right" diets lost more weight.

According to the results, women on diets suitable to their genetic makeup, lost 5.3 percent of body weight over a year, while women on inappropriate diets lost 2.3 percent.