SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

A recent weight loss study shows that when participants know their genetic make-up, they have greater success losing weight and lowering their Body Mass Index (BMI). The California Schools VEBA - Pathway Genomics Corporation study evaluated weight loss results of 179 overweight California school employees. Results at 6 months showed that when employees took the Pathway Fit genetic test (of approximately 100 different genes and their variants related to sugar and fat metabolism, eating behaviors, best diet, micronutrients, and other parameters), they had significant weight loss success (some lost up to 40 pounds) when compared to employees who had previously tried to lose weight, under similar conditions, without the genetic test.

Both groups of employees worked with a VEBA health coach to help them develop an exercise and nutrition plan, and all received the same standard of care. However, the employees who knew and utilized their genetic-based diets and behaviors obtained greater weight loss (and other positive effects like decreased blood pressure) when compared with employees who had health coaching and standard of care only.

A participant in the study describes, The genetic study helped me change my overall behaviors and food choices and portion control. The understanding of my overall genes and physical health has helped me work more effectively with my VEBA health coach to achieve my weight loss goals.

The studyconducted in partnership with the California Schools VEBA (VEBA), Healthy Adventures Foundation and Pathway Genomics Corporationcollected interim results in January 2012. Principal investigator, Wendy Hileman, CEO, Healthy Adventures Foundation describes, The findings indicate that when participants have more information about their genetic predisposition, especially concerning exercise, eating behaviors, and diets, they have the validation they need to stick to a tailored program for the long haul, rather than quitting early on.

The Pathway Fit report is a health professional (M.D., D.O., N.P.) ordered saliva DNA test, where the participant simply spits in a plastic tube and sends it to Pathways lab to be analyzed. Through the analysis of genes and their variants (mutations)which are expressed in various organs, such as the brain, stomach, gut, muscle, pancreas, and directly in fat tissueparticipants gain insight about how their bodies process sugars, fats, nutrients and vitamins. This rigorous scientifically validated information is included in a detailed report that shows each participant how he or she may respond to a best diet, certain exercises and eating behaviors, traits such as bitter taste and caffeine metabolism, and his or her potential response to certain foods and micronutrients. Recently, there have been a number of double-blinded studies published showing the utility and positive psychological responses by patients of genetic testing for weight loss or nutrigenomic information (eg. Meisel, et al, Obesity, March 2012)

Michael Nova, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Pathway Genomics, whose team developed the test says, The results of this preliminary study corroborate with the results were seeing in other areas of weight loss and personal nutrition management. When participants gain more knowledge about themselves, including understanding their metabolism, eating behaviors and response to exercise, as well as suggestions on the best ways to reach and maintain a healthy weight given their genetic predispositions, it helps lead them to make better health decisions and behavior changes for the long term.

Because the results were so compelling, VEBA, along with its other study partners, applied for a grant from the Allen Foundation to help it continue to roll out the relatively inexpensive Pathway Fit test to additional high-risk employees at participating VEBA school districts.

About the California Schools VEBA

The California Schools VEBA is a trust that offers school districts and employee organizations buying power and the structure to provide control over a variety of benefit issues. Benefits trusts continue to positively influence the quality of care delivered by contracted carriers and their providers.They also help members attain superior health care choices, rate stability, portability, affordability and quality for education employees.Total participation in the trust includes 40 southern California school districts and associations. The trust serves both employees and their dependents, totaling more than 89,000 members. For more information, visit http://www.vebaonline.com

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Good News for Individuals Struggling with Weight Loss

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) June 04, 2012

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc Weight Loss announces the only hCG weight loss plan designed to benefit men specifically.

Diet Doc has created another diet program that promotes weight loss to complement mens health. The program combines a detoxifying ketogenic diet that incorporates essential supplements with daily doses of the hCG hormone. Men tend to be less proactive about preventative health measures and less diligent about maintaining their health than women. But nutritional supplements can help men avoid many chronic conditions, states Dr. Rao, Medical Director for Diet Doc.

Diet Docs personalized weight loss program for men includes a focus on heart, prostate and joint health by recommending necessary foods and supplements that support these health factors. With heart disease as the leading cause of death among American men, supplements along with a healthy diet are needed for preventative measures. Diet Doc suggests l-Carnitine and fish oil to their male patients. Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and fish oil as well as some plant foods, can decrease the likelihood of cardiovascular disease. And l-carnitine, a supplement not recognized by the medical community just yet, is found to play an important role in preventing fatty buildup, especially in the heart, liver, and skeletal muscles, and it helps keep blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in check. This supplement is popular among the health and fitness communities because it is also found to increase the use of fat as an energy source by transporting fatty acids into the energy which is a major source of energy for the muscles, including those of the heart.

Other key health factors for men are addressed by creating a diet plan that includes healthy foods that are full of antioxidants. For example, prostate health is considered by recommending tomatoes, a fruit that is abundant in the powerful antioxidant lycopene, an antioxidant that has been shown in several studies to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Diet Doc also uses a ketogenic diet as a base for all of their diet plans. This diet is popular among bodybuilders because it is found to be effective in burning fat and conserving muscle. A low-carbohydrate and low-glycemic diet that is ideal for most people and can be modified to fit anyones needs.

Diet Docs hCG weight loss plans are personalized for each of their patients and dramatic results can be seen in as early as two weeks. With many diets to choose from, Diet Doc seems to offer the most unique, thoughtful, well-planned and cost-effective solutions for anyones weight loss needs.

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hCGTreatments / Diet Doc Announces the Only hCG Weight Loss Plan That Is Designed To Benefit Men’s Health

CLC Bio said this week that it has appointed Richard Lussier as director of business for the Americas region. He has worked in life sciences sales and commercial operations, most recently as VP of worldwide sales at RainDance Technologies. He formerly held leadership positions in sales, service, and support at Solexa, Fluidigm, Applied Biosystems, and Celera Genomics.

NanoString said this week that it has hired Bruce Seeley to lead a new diagnostics business unit. In his position as senior vice president and general manager of diagnostics, Seeley will oversee the marketing of NanoString's breast cancer test to pathologists and oncologists. Seeley previously was executive VP of Seattle Genetics' commercial operations, he was senior director of marketing at Genentech, and he worked at Aventis Pharma as senior director of new product commercialization and marketing. He also held sales and marketing titles at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

IntegenX has appointed David Smith to serve as its new COO. Smith most recently served as CFO of Thoratec, and previous to that was CFO at Chiron. He currently is chair of the audit committee and a director of OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals and previously was chair of the audit committee and a director of Perlegen Sciences.

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Deal with Bariatric Support Brings GenoVive's DNA-based Weight Loss Program to Mexico

What is the best way to lose weight? Are you confused? It's bad enough that reaching and maintaining your ideal weight is such a challenge, but does it have to be so confusing too?

So how do you figure it out and discover what really is the best way to lose weight?

Some say low fat, high carb. Some say low carb, high fat. Some say you should count calories. Others tell you counting calories means you're obsessive. Some say the best way to lose weight is to eat only healthy foods, while others tell you to eat whatever you feel like eating whoops!

And many say "diets" don't work at all. But of course that's ridiculous!

The Proven Best Way to Lose Weight

Diet is what you eat and human beings have to eat to live. So everyone's on some kind of a diet. Whether or not it's a good healthy diet or a junk food diet, you're on a diet!

And your diet either keeps you slim, healthy and looking good or not.

When people say, "diets don't work," they mean temporary or fast weight loss diets. And then it's true. Temporary diets only give temporary results. They don't work in the long run.

The best way to clear up any confusion is to listen to those from the National Weight Control Registry who've lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for at least three years. Here are the seven essential guidelines proven to be the best way to lose weight.

1. Make permanent changes. Permanent healthy weight loss requires knowing how to change habits permanently! Most people who lose weight regain it only because they go back to old eating and lifestyle habits. So you must begin with a commitment to creating new healthy habits.

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What is the Best Way to Lose Weight?

Jessica Simpson made the rumors official: She's signed on to lose the post-baby pounds with Weight Watchers.

"So excited to be part of the Weight Watchers family," she tweeted on May 30.

The singer has reportedly ditched fast food to get ready for the weight loss, but she's still considering which trainer she'll use to whip herself into shape. The two options are reportedly Danny Musico, her fiance Eric Johnson's trainer, and Mike Alexander, the man who got her into shape for 2005's "Dukes of Hazard," according to US Weekly.

"As soon as Jessica heals from the C-section, she is extremely determined to get back in the gym and work out," a source told US Weekly. "She wants to show the world and is excited to do it."

It's not confirmed how much weight she wants to lose with her $4-million Weight Watchers endorsement deal - we've heard anywhere from 60 lbs. to close to 100 lbs. However, we do know that she'll have plenty of motivation since other celebrities have dropped the lbs. with help of weight loss program endorsements.

Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson is basically the face of Weight Watchers these days. The singer dropped 80 lbs. on the program - it's like she just emerged one day with a dramatically smaller frame. According to a post on Weight Watchers, Hudson's did it by eating foods like Kashi GoLean Crunch Cereal, skim milk, sweet potatoes and lots of Greek yogurt.

Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley came out in January saying that Weight Watchers had helped him drop 38 lbs. off his famously hefty frame. However, he told fellow TNT sports announcers Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan that it was all a scam.

"I thought this was the greatest scam going-getting paid for watching sports, this Weight Watchers thing is a bigger scam," he said, thinking that the microphones were off. He received some flack for the comment, though it seems like he meant that earning money for doing something he'd do for free - like eating - is just like getting money for something else he loves, sports.

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Jessica Simpson and Other Celebs Making Big Cash with Weight Loss Deals

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Recap: Wait, Rosies Gay?! | Home | American Idol To Undergo Changes As Fox Plans To Keep The Show Around For Many Years

June 03, 2012 11:01 PM by Gina Hall

Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition rebooted for its second season and trainer Chris Powells has his work cut out for him. 400-pound Tony looking to shed some major poundage on the way to his 50th birthday and wedding. Is it a pipe dream or can Tony make the life-changing commitment? Chris Powell takes on his latest weight-loss challenge with Tony, 49, who blames his work in the fast-food industry and the stresses of raising a special-needs child for helping him balloon up to 400 pounds. The shows Dr. Terry Schaack warns Tony that his fat has primarily gathered around his abdomen, hes at a very high risk for heart disease.

So cue the sappy generic reality-show music and lets get started. As many of these stories start, Tony had a rough go of it during childhood, which has affected his emotional eating habits. He supported himself starting at age 14 by shoveling snow and working at a fast food restaurant. He overate at his job because he never knew where his next meal would come from. He would rather have food than have sex. For most of us it depends on what kind of food and what kind of sex, but still, thats a problem.

This is the story of Tonys year long journey toward a healthier, happier life. Or is it?Many of us freak out if we gain an extra 5-10 pounds, but having to lose almost 225? Thats a major commitment that consumes your life while not consuming an entire extra-value meal. But life doesnt pause while you shed the weight, as Tony learns.

Chris Powell shows up in Tonys life when Tonys sampling wedding cakes. Now how surprised can Tony be when he has a camera crew following him? But boot camp starts right away and Tony is eager to get going. It proves hard to get 400 pounds moving on the treadmill and even harder when Tony finds out his 28-year old special-needs son is in the hospital fighting for his life.

A lot of time is spent watching this grown man cry, which was both heartbreaking and tedious. But apparently a dying son wasnt enough to get this guy to stop filming a reality show, so I suppose thats the dedication he needs to change.

His fiancee is reluctant to go on the journey with him. She seemed to be jealous that Tony decided to change his life without her. And now that hes starting to drop the pounds, he starts to question his future with her. Isnt that always the case. Lose 200 pounds, lose the bitchy girlfriend holding you back.

Tony moves out and moves on and even at the risk of becoming homeless. He even continues to eat healthy living out of his car and on friends couches. So for all of us losing those last few pounds, we have little excuse compared to this guy.

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Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition Recap: Shedding For The Wedding?

Credit: fit2fat2fit.com

ABC News Sabina Ghebremedhin reports:

A little more than a year ago, personal trainer Drew Manning stopped working out, and started eating fast food, white bread, sugary cereal and soda.

Manning, a self-proclaimed fitness addict, started the weight-gain journey to better understand what his overweight clients go through. He let himself go completely, and chronicled the process in video blog on his website, Fit2Fat2Fit.com.

Manning gained 21 pounds in the first month. As the weeks progressed, his confidence and his health took a downturn.

He started to get winded easily, and his glucose level and blood pressure were high. Its getting a little scary, he said in one of his video blogs.

Mannings wife, Lynn, was prepared to see the physical changes in her husband, but didnt expect the emotional and personality changes that came with the weight gain.

His self-confidence, that completely went away and depleted, she said, explaining that he was becoming lethargic, lazy, not helping around the house.

I was in denial at first until she kept pointing out the things I was doing, Manning said today on Good Morning America. But I did become lazier. I had less energy so I did become exhausted and I kept seeing how it affected our relationship because of that. And so thats where the biggest surprise was, the emotional [part].

When Manning started his experiment on May 7, 2011, he had a 34.5-inch waist and 17-inch neck, and he weighed 193 pounds. Six months later, he had a 48-inch waist, 19-inch neck and he weighed 265 pounds. His clothes didnt fit.

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'Fit2Fat2Fit' Author Drew Manning's Top 5 Weight-Loss Mistakes to Avoid