23andMe Adds Weight Loss Coaching to Its DNA Testing Service

I have generally been supportive of23andMe but their latest"wellness" oriented initiative has me wondering. Here's a report about it (see:23andMe Will Add Weight-Loss Advice to Its DNA-Testing Services) and below is an excerpt from the article:Consumer DNA-testing giant 23andMe...plans to add new wellness offerings it hopes will help its customers shed a few pounds, but some genetics experts say the jury is still out on the science behind the products....[The company] announced a partnership withLark Health, an artificial-intelligence coaching service that delivers personalized advice for weight loss and diabetes prevention via an app.Lark will allow customers to incorporate weight-related genetic data from 23andMe into its service....The move will put 23andMe in a crowded -- and oft-criticized -- marketplace of companies that use DNA analysis to give personalized advice on wellness or family history....In Lark ’s wellness and diabetes-prevention programs, AI coaches help people track things like meals, exercise and sleep and serve up advice to help meet health goals.Users can message their AI coach to help them decide whether a burger was a good choice for dinner....If their 23andMe genetic weight report suggested limiting red meat, the coach might recommend laying off the burgers....[Lark's] diabetes-prevention program is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and peer-reviewed research has suggested the AI coach is at least as effective as ...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Genomic Testing Healthcare Innovations Lab Information Medical Consumerism Medical Ethics Preventive Medicine Source Type: blogs