WHEN an obese man with a family history of type 2 diabetes goes to see his doctor, he will undoubtedly be told to lose weight to minimise his chances of becoming diabetic. Too often, this sound but familiar advice falls on deaf ears.
Now show the same patient a printout revealing that his genes make him unusually susceptible to diabetes, and the picture changes. That information is novel, personal and somehow seems more “scientific” – and therefore authoritative. Suddenly the patient has a new motivation to eat less and exercise more.
If genome scans can motivate people to do what they…
