Gene Testing and Wellness Programs

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Greenfield R. How Testing genes could make office wellness programs work. Bloomberg. 2016. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-01/testing-workers-genes-could-be-the-secret-to-making-wellness-programs-work.

This article discusses the use of genetic testing as a motivator for employees.   Newtopia is a company that provides wellness services for businesses, including DNA testing, one-on-one coaching, ad a personalized diet and exercise plan.   The use of genetic testing has shown to improve the health behaviors of the employees.  “We had individuals that said having the knowledge of their own individual profile allowed them to gain a certain understanding and mastery of their condition that they didn’t have before.”  Newtopia is specifically on the lookout for employees that have a high risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which is extremely costly for companies.  Therefore, only those that have 2 risk factors of developing metabolic syndrome are eligible to participate.  The company claims their goal is to get results that will companies the most, not just offer financial incentives to employees to participate in wellness programs (which often lead to employees doing the bare minimum so they do not get penalized).   On the opposing end, bioethics professor George Annas reveals that Newtopia may be tricking some of the employees into believing they have a genetic predisposition to become overweight, which in turn is motivating them to seek healthier lifestyles.  He warns this may backfire in some individuals, who may see they are more likely to become overweight, and use that as an excuse to not bother exercising and eating healthier.
It seems that genetic testing had a great impact on individuals.  Having background information about conditions they have and the implications of these on their health and ability to lose weight gave them reassurance, peace of mind, and even hope. This would be a great tool to use in the future for dietitians because they can know what the individual is pre-disposed to and the diet intervention that should be taken into consideration.   This testing will not only help gain insight for health professionals, but also the patient.  If they have their genetic information given to them, they may be more willing to comply to diet recommendations based on their predisposed risk since it can be personalized with their specific needs.   However, it is important that genetic testing should only be used as a guide, rather than telling people their future health status is set in stone due.
-DG

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