FAQs - Food Genes And Me

1. What is nutrigenetics/ nutrigenomics?

The study of the interaction of dietary and genetic factors and its effect on metabolism, health status, and risk of disease. Nutrigenetics aims to identify how genetic variation affects response to nutrients. This knowledge can be applied to optimize health, and prevent or treat diseases. The ultimate aim of nutrigenetics is to offer people personalized nutrition based on their genetic makeup.

2.What is a variant?

A variant is the genetic difference both within and among human populations. There may be multiple variants of any given gene in the human population.

3. What is genetic risk

Genetic risk refers to your chance of inheriting a disorder, disease, or other trait. For human health, disorders, or other traits it would be great if we could definitively say yes or no, but this is not the case. Therefore, we assign a risk instead that is based on scientific studies. The risk is like rolling a dice. You have a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 2. So if 2 is some disease, on average 1 out of 6 people would get it.

4. What is personalized dietary information?

FGM is reporting personalized dietary information, which is a report containing suggestions about foods, nutrients, and portion sizes that you should eat. This advice is based on your DNA sequence and solid scientific studies that link specific genetic variants with risks of disease or other outcomes. More >>   

   

5. How is the personalized dietary information generated?

FGM diets are generated by scanning your uploaded genetic file for variants that affect a gene-diet interaction outcome and meet rigorous statistical scientific metrics. Once a variant is identified we search a nutrient database to identify foods and portions that should be eaten daily to increase the risk of a favorable outcome. More >>   

   

6. How will personalized dietary information benefit me?

Therefore, we assign a risk instead that is based on scientific studies. The risk is like rolling a dice. You have a 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 2. So if 2 is the name of some disease, on average 1 out of 6 people would get it. Genetic risk refers your chance of inheriting a disorder, disease, or other trait. More >>   

   

7. How long will it take to get my personalized diet information?

We expect that when your DNA sequence file is uploaded, it will take less than 24 hours to return your report to you, and certainly less than a week.

8. Should I consult my results with a dietician?

A dietician has the knowledge, skill and expertise to translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living, focusing on preventing or treating diseases through a personalized nutrition plan. If you are concerned about your health and want to achieve your best nutrition potential, you should consult with a dietician. The common reasons to see a dietician is the presence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, kidney disease, autoimunne diseases, eating disorders, digestive problems, food allergies or intolerance, undergoing a gastrointestinal surgery, during pregnancy and lactating, trying to eat smarter, and improving performance in sports. 

9. How do I find a dietician?

You can find a qualified registered dietician through The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website. The search is based on your zip code location. 

10. How will my information be used for research?

Your information will only be used by Food Genes And Me for the discovery of new variants that can be used to improve your personalized dietary information. We perform Genome Wide Association Studies to identify these variants. For more information see the pdf file or video. More >>   

   

11. Is my personal information secure?

Yes! Your survey information is not connected with a customer number, nor your name, and once loaded, it is removed from servers connected to the Internet. Likewise, once your genetic file is uploaded and processed, it is removed from servers connected to the Internet. The scientific research to discover variants is performed on computers not connected to the Internet.  More >>   

   

12.Will my medical insurance pay for the test?

Medical insurance is intended to cover medical problems. We are providing dietary information that is not covered by insurance. However, if you have a medical problem and are seeing a dietician, they will likely find the dietary information useful in designing you diet.

13. In what language(s) are the reports written?

Currently, the personalized dietary advice reports are written in English, but we have plans to expand to other popular languages.

14. How do I download my genetic files from other parties?

Food Genes and Me will process a .vcf file and raw DNA files from the following sources:

23andMe - After you login follow the  instructions to download your file from 23andMe 

Ancestry - After you login follow instructions to download your file from Ancestry. 

DNA Family tree - After you login follow the instructions to download your file from DNA Family Tree. 

15. How do I invest in Food Genes And Me?

On the contact us page, please choose investment as the subject heading and indicate your interest in an email or send us a letter.

16. How can my company sell nutrients, foods and meals recommended by Food Genes And Me?

We are actively seeking B2B partners to sell food, nutrients, supplements, and meals suggested by Food Genes And Me.