People respond very differently to digital healthcare lifestyle changes. This study looked at how certain genetic differences, called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), might predict how well someone responds to a digital program aimed at helping them lose weight.

Researchers studied 45 participants aged 18–39 who used a digital cognitive behavioral therapy program for 8 weeks to lose weight. They looked at 97 obesity-related genetic markers (SNPs) and measured changes in body weight, eating behaviors, and psychological factors before and after the program.

They found that the CETP gene (specifically the rs9939224 SNP) could predict people who lost a lot of weight ("super-responders"), with one group losing nearly 10% of their body weight. On the other hand, the APOA2 gene (rs5082 SNP) could predict people who didn’t lose much weight or even gained weight ("poor-responders").

These genetic markers also linked to changes in eating behaviors and diet quality. When combining the effects of both CETP and APOA2 genes, researchers could more accurately predict who would have the best and worst responses to the program.

Overall, CETP and APOA2 genes could help predict how well someone will respond to digital healthcare lifestyle changes, potentially leading to more personalized and effective weight loss treatments.