Aim: To assess the behavioral effects of receiving personal genetic information, using apoE genotypes as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes. apoE was chosen because it has a significant impact on lipid metabolism and cholesterol absorption, both factors in cardiovascular disease. Methods: This study was a 1-year intervention study of healthy adults aged 20-67 years (n = 107). Their behavioral changes were measured by diet (e.g., fat quality, as well as consumption of vegetables, berries, fruits, and fatty and sugary foods), alcohol consumption, and exercise. Health and taste attitudes were assessed with the Health and Taste Attitude Scales (HTAS). The measurements were performed 4 times: at baseline (T0), as well as 10 weeks (T1), 6 months (T2), and 12 months after baseline (T3). These behavioral effects were assessed for three groups: a high-risk (Ɛ4+; n = 16), a low-risk (Ɛ4-; n = 35), and a control group (n = 56). Results: Personal genetic information affected health behavior. Dietary fat quality improved more in the Ɛ4+ group than in the Ɛ4- and control groups after personal, genotype-based health advice. This change differed significantly between the Ɛ4+ and the control group (p < 0.05), but only for a short time. Conclusion: Personal genetic information, based on apoE, may affect dietary fat quality. More research is required to determine how to utilize genotype-based health information and how to efficiently achieve long-term changes in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

Common health recommendations often incite very little public response, as people instead require individualized information. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological effects of personal genetic information, provided by different apoE genotypes, as a tool to promote lifestyle changes. This study was a one-year intervention study using healthy adults, aged 20-67 years (n = 107). Their experiences of state anxiety, threat and stage of change were measured three times over a 12 months period. These psychological experiences were assessed, during the genetic information gathering, for three groups: a high-risk group (Ɛ4+, n = 16); a low-risk group (Ɛ4-, n = 35); and a control group (n = 56). The psychological effects of personal genetic risk information were shown to be short-term, although the levels of state anxiety and threat experiences in the high-risk group both remained at a slightly higher level than in the baseline. Threat experiences differed almost significantly (alpha = 0.017) between the Ɛ4+ and Ɛ4- groups (p = 0.034). Information on the apoE genotype impacted the experience of cardiovascular threat; this effect was most intense immediately after genetic feedback was received. However, fears of threat and anxiety may not be an obstacle for using gene information to motivate healthy, stable adults towards making lifestyle changes. Further studies should thus focus on how to utilize genetic screening in prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

Purpose – This study aims to explore how certain consumer characteristics (dieting status, health motives and food values) together with products carrying ambivalent health and taste cues (light foods, convenience foods, “functional candies”) shape whether and why health and taste attributes are perceived as inclusive (“healthy is tasty” and “unhealthy is untasty”) or exclusive (“healthy is untasty” and “unhealthy is tasty”). Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology not yet applied in examining consumers’ healthiness and tastiness perceptions of food was employed. It included gathering three separate data sets through both personal and group interviews (N = 40). Findings – Consumers’ dieting status, health motives and food values shape the perception of inclusivity and exclusivity of health and taste of light, convenience and candy products. Second, there are multiple sources for these perceptions including product type, ingredients, level of processing and marketing cues. These factors interact to produce a unique consumer understanding of the relationship between health and taste for each single food product. Practical implications – To ensure optimal consumer response, food companies and health educators need to understand how different target groups form their inclusive/exclusive perceptions of health and taste for various foods. Originality/value – The majority of pre-existing food consumption research supports imply that a good taste and a high degree of healthiness are incompatible with each other. The findings challenge this view. It appears that it is the “unhealthy is untasty” and “healthy is tasty” perceptions that predominate in certain consumer groups. A novel conceptual framework for understanding the ambivalence of health and taste perceptions in food consumption is offered.

Aim: There is increasing demand for individualized health advice. The aim of this study was to assess the effects on cardiovascular risk markers of receiving personal genetic health information, using apoE genotypes as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes. ApoE was chosen because it had a significant impact on lipid metabolism and cholesterol absorption, all factors for CVD. Methods: This study was a one-year explanatory intervention study for healthy adults, aged between 20 -67 years old (n = 106). Their clinical markers (serum lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure, Body Mass Index, body fat percentage and waist circumference) were measured three times during the intervention. The clinical effects were assessed for three groups: a high risk group (Ɛ4+, n = 16); a low-risk group (Ɛ4−, n = 35); and a control group (n = 55). Results: The triglyceride values and waist circumference lowered more in Ɛ4+ compared with the control group (p < 0.05; alpha value 0.005) during the intervention. Conclusion: The personal genetic information, based on apoE, may have positive effects on cardiovascular risk markers (e.g., improvement in triglyceride values). The individual health information, based on genotyping could be a potential option in the prevention of CVD. More research is required on how to utilize genotype-based health information in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

<b><i>Aim:</i></b> This observational follow-up study was designed to assess the long-term behavioural and clinical effects of receiving personal genetic risk information. The information disclosed was the carrier status of the apolipoprotein E (<i>APOE</i>)<i></i>alleles, which differentially contribute to the genetic risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer’s disease. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This study forms a continuum with a previous 1-year intervention (2010–2011) monitoring the effects of disclosing the carrier status of the <i>APOE ε4</i>risk allele. The follow-up measurements, performed 5.5 years post-intervention, included clinical measurements (blood values and anthropomorphic parameters) and questionnaires (psychological and behavioural factors). The participants were healthy adult volunteers, aged 26–73 years (<i>n</i> = 70) who had participated in the previous intervention, and received their <i>APOE</i> allele status either at the beginning (former test group) or the end of the intervention (former control group). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Personal genetic risk information resulted in a moderate health-conscious change in diet and had a slight positive long-term effect on clinical factors, particularly the serum lipids. These improvements were subsequent to the disclosure of genetic information and occurred mainly in the <i>APOE ε4</i>-positive members of the former control group, that is, those who were at increased genetic risk for CVD but had not been informed of their status before the end of the intervention. In contrast, changes in the values and health behaviour of the <i>APOE ε4</i>-positive individuals in the former test group, who had already changed their health behaviour during the previous intervention as a result of being informed of their carrier status, varied more: some continued to improve, some remained at their previously improved level, and some relapsed slightly. Both groups had nonetheless displayed an improvement immediately subsequent to the disclosure of their personal genetic risk. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Receiving information on increased personal genetic risk (carrier status of <i>APOE ε4</i>)<i></i>for CVD provided the motivation for improvements in health behaviour. The resulting changes, while modest, in most cases remained visible even after a number of years.