Telling people they have a genetic risk for different health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, is not enough to convince them to adopt a healthier lifestyle, a new study found.
Researchers in England with lead author Theresa Marteau, a professor of behavior and health at the University of Cambridge, examined the effectiveness of using genetic testing as a preventive measure. They analyzed data collected from 18 studies that had looked at behavioral outcomes, which included smoking cessation, diet and physical activity. In each of the studies, the researchers had compared one group of participants who had received genetic testing to a control group who were not informed about their genetic risk. Overall, there were 6,151 participants between the ages of 30 and 56.
Marteau and colleagues found that people do not really respond to these genetic tests. The researchers said those who learn that they have a genetic risk for a certain disease will most likely not make any lifestyle and behavioral changes that would reduce their risk. For example, many smokers who found out that their risk of lung disease was even higher due to a genetic component did not quit upon hearing the news.
"Information is, at best, a weak intervention for changing behavior," Marteau said.
"At present there is little evidence to suggest that simply communicating the results of DNA tests has a role in strategies aimed at improving population health by motivating risk-reducing behavior change," the authors wrote. "Such tests may, however, have a role in such strategies if supplemented by the offer of effective behavior change interventions. DNA testing, alone or in combination with other assessments of disease risk, may have a role in stratifying populations by risk, to enable clinical and behavioral interventions - such as screening tests, surgery, and drug treatments - to be targeted at those at increased risk."
Although the researchers could not determine why people did not response to genetic testing, Marteau explained that a lot of people are simply not too worried about reducing their risk for long-term health conditions. Marteau also pointed out that making changes to a daily routine can be difficult especially without guidance. These people tend to end up choosing the easier route of sticking to what they already know.
The study was published in The BMJ.
