Discussion
depression, Depression, TG, anxiety
In this study, disclosing genetic information regarding an individual’s risk for a high BMI and abnormal TG, LDL, and HDL lipoprotein levels resulted in changes in psychological factors and dietary intake. Depression and anxiety levels were decreased in male subjects who perceived their genetic risk for a high BMI and abnormal lipid profiles to be low, while the intake of meat increased significantly. Furthermore, an inverse association between anxiety levels and meat intake among subjects in the low genetic risk group was observed.A number of studies have determined changes in dietary intake as a primary outcome regarding the perception of genetic information [In this study, protein intake increased significantly in male subjects who perceived their genetic risk to be low at 3 months compared to baseline, while the control group and those who perceived their risk as high showed no changes. The increase in protein intake is presumed to be due to an increase in meat intake, as meat consumption and protein intake showed a positive correlation and intake levels of nutrients that are abundant in meats, including thiamin and vitamin B6, also correlated positively with protein intake. Furthermore, there was a significant positive association between the meat consumption and the relative levels of arginine and ornithine in the blood at 3 months. Ornithine, which plays a role in urea cycle [Increased anxiety and depression levels are the most frequently reported negative psychological symptoms following genetic information recognition [Nevertheless, it should be noted that the reported study results differ depending on the differences in the study design [In this study, only male subjects in the ILR group exhibited significant reductions in anxiety and depression levels and increases in meat intake. No significant changes were observed among female subjects. In a cross-sectional study conducted on 237 undergraduate students, it was reported that men consumed foods with high protein content more often than women [A number of earlier studies have investigated the relationship between anxiety and depression and dietary intakes [This study has several strengths. First, it is a randomized controlled trial with a high follow-up rate. Second, we investigated the impact of disclosing genetic information on psychological factors and dietary intakes, as well as the relationship between dietary intake and changes in blood metabolites. Third, this study is one of the few conducted in an Asian population, which is relevant in light of the fact that dietary intake is influenced by culture and ethnicity [Taken together, the disclosure of a subject’s low genetic risk for a high BMI and elevated TG and lipoprotein levels had a strong association with anxiety level and dietary intake. A decrease in anxiety and depression levels in the subjects who recognized a low genetic risk was related with an increase in dietary meat intake. This finding may provide a supportive evidence for the impact of perceived genetic risks regarding general wellness variables on changes in psychological factors and dietary patterns. Further relevant research with larger population and qualitative measures is needed to confirm the impact of disclosing genetic information on dietary intake as well as psychological factors and the association between the two.