A European Union (EU)-supported research project is investigating whether genes modify the way diet affects consumers’ bodies and whether everybody can benefit from improved diets or some people are at risk of obesity and related health ailments, whatever they eat.


The LipGene project will examine whether people are sensitive to certain kinds of fat, whether their vulnerability to obesity can be changed by diet alone and whether genes associated with metabolic syndrome make a difference. Coordinated from Trinity College, Dublin, the 13,000 subject study will be used by the European Commission to help conduct cost-benefit reviews of policies aimed at reducing obesity.