By using a DNA test kit for weight loss, you can unlock personal genetic insights and tailor your strategies to better fit your body’s unique needs, eliminating the guesswork and unnecessary frustrations. However, not all DNA kits are made the same, and not all of them will give you the information you need to get started.
In my pursuit to find the best DNA test kit for weight loss, I evaluated several kits based on their ability to provide actionable genetic insights, user-friendliness, result accuracy, and privacy policies. After extensive testing, I shortlisted the top DNA kits that truly stand out in this growing market.
Out of all these, LivingDNA is my top pick. It shines because it tells you a lot about how your genes affect your weight. It also explains how your body reacts to different foods and workouts. Best of all, it turns this information into clear steps to help you lose weight.
Start Your Weight Loss Journey With LivingDNA
Short on time? Here are our top picks for DNA tests for weight loss:
- Living DNA – Our top pick for weight loss; it analyzes how your body responds to different food and nutrients and offers detailed, customized meal and exercise plans based on your results.
- My Toolbox Genomics – Analyzes your DNA for health information, and provides customized meal, exercise, and supplement plans based on your results.
- SelfDecode – Very affordable if you upload existing DNA data from services like AncestryDNA; provides detailed reports on how your genes affect your weight and offers meal and exercise plans optimized for your needs.
- InsideTracker – Great DNA test kit for ongoing weight loss support; provides meal, exercise and supplement plans based on your lifestyle and DNA.
- Everlywell – Cheap individual tests that give you information on which foods to avoid on your weight loss journey.
Our Best DNA Test Kits for Weight Loss Reviewed
1. Living DNA – In-Depth Nutrition Advice & Exercise Tips
- Personalized diet recommendations and exercise routine
- Assesses food intolerances and vitamin needs
- Quick and easy mouth swab
- Results in 6-8 weeks
Living DNA’s Wellbeing report is designed to present your genetic information in practical terms, focusing on areas like weight loss, energy, and healthy eating. The results are clearly explained, showing what they mean for your everyday lifestyle.
The Wellbeing kit from Living DNA offers an in-depth exploration of your genetic traits related to both nutrition and fitness. During our examination of the test, it revealed to a colleague how their body reacts to specific vitamins and if they need to adjust their intake. The insights extended to understanding how their body processes different foods, such as carbs and sugars, and identified potential sensitivities like gluten or lactose.
What stood out to us was the actionable advice provided in the report. Our colleague was given specific dietary recommendations, such as incorporating certain fish into meals, avoiding high-fat foods, and identifying beneficial supplements. These suggestions were directly aligned with his unique genetic makeup, offering a tailored approach to nutrition.
The test also delves into fitness and exercise, assessing your DNA to determine the optimal exercises to support your fitness objectives. In our report, details were provided on the best resistance training approach and endurance level to support weight loss. The information was further enhanced with insights into oxygen flow, muscle fiber composition, recovery time, trainability, blood vessel response, and tendon durability. The presentation of this information is clear and straightforward, making it accessible for anyone looking to quickly grasp their results and apply them to their daily routines.
2. My Toolbox Genomics – Huge Choice of Weight Loss Tests
- 7-day personalized meal plan based on your goals
- Screens your metabolism of all key vitamins and minerals
- Assesses your snacking risk, caffeine metabolism, and sensitivity to gluten
- Results in 3-4 weeks
My Toolbox Genomics offers a comprehensive DNA test that analyzes your diet and nutrition, with extra fitness insights included, too.
Its nutritional test screens over 50 different genes to tell you everything you need to know about your diet. Our report showed which foods our test taker should be adding to or removing from their diet, not only to lose weight but also to increase overall health.
It can actually predict what type of diet you should stick to and comes with a 7-day personalized meal plan. You can filter your meal plan based on your goal, for example to lose weight or build muscle.
You get insights into your body’s metabolism of different food groups, including gluten and caffeine. We thought this was really detailed, and it comes with information on how your DNA impacts your response and advice on how to change your diet.
The test was really insightful when it comes to understanding how your DNA influences your likelihood of snacking. You get advice on how this can affect your ability to lose weight.
Your report comes with detailed exercise information. Our colleague learned which exercise routine to follow, alongside plenty of workout suggestions. It even has small demo videos to guide you, but we were a bit disappointed they had no audio!
It usually takes 3-4 weeks to get the report. We received ours in 4 weeks.
Assess Your Weight with My Toolbox Genomics!
3. SelfDecode – Subscription Service & Ongoing Weight Reports
- Huge choice of reports relating to weight and exercise
- Food sensitivity reports and vitamin assessment
- Ongoing subscription for access to new reports
- Option to upload DNA from other companies for quick results
SelfDecode has an ongoing subscription service that you can pay upfront for lifetime access, or on an annual basis. With this subscription, you get ongoing weight reports that you can pick and choose as you please. Although the reports are only free with lifetime access.
If you’ve already taken a DNA test with 23andMe, AncestryDNA, Courtagen, or FamilyTreeDNA, you can upload your raw data and save yourself the cost of a separate test. We tried it with 23andMe and AncestryDNA and it was really easy.
You also have the option of buying a DNA test from SelfDecode if you like.
SelfDecode has various reports relating to weight loss. Our favorite was the bodyweight report that analyzes your appetite, food choices, energy metabolism, and nutrient levels.
We also liked the food sensitivity report, which is a good way of finding out if you have any intolerances. Ours included reports for wheat, lactose, gluten, and alcohol, with an explanation of which foods to avoid.
There’s a fitness report, if you want insight into exercise. Our colleague learned about their response to exercise, risks of injury, and even how likely they are to be motivated for exercise.
Uploading existing DNA meant our report was ready in less than 24 hours. With the DNA test, it took 8 weeks.
Assess Your Weight & Fitness with SelfDecode!
4. InsideTracker – Ability to Track Weight Loss Goals
- Daily tasks to monitor your health and weight loss
- See which foods to eat and avoid
- Get recipes based on your nutrient deficiencies and calorie goals
- Results in 2-4 weeks
InsideTracker offers an all-in-one test so you can learn how to improve weight loss and enhance your overall health at the same time. The website promises results in 2-4 weeks, but we actually received ours in just 1 week.
The test gives you information on which foods to eat based on your body’s needs, deficiencies, and food preferences. For example, our colleague was low in vitamin D, so was advised to eat more fish.
You get daily actions like drinking more water or adding in oatmeal for breakfast. We found that you can tick these off every day from your online dashboard, which is a great feature for keeping track.
InsideTracker comes with hundreds of healthy recipes, which are all really easy to follow. You can see the full macronutrient breakdowns to keep on top of your intake. We liked that each recipe also tells you the nutrients it’s rich in, so they’re personalized to you and what your body needs.
You get tailored fitness recommendations, too. For our researcher, this included adding in high-intensity workouts, going for long walks, and regular bike rides. And you can see which supplements to take.
Combine Weight Loss & Health with InsideTracker!
5. Everlywell – Assess Metabolism & Thyroid
- Tests available to analyze metabolism and thyroid function
- Screens for hormones that influence weight loss with advice on next steps
- Subscription options for regular weight loss testing
- Results only take 3 days
Everlywell takes a slightly different approach to weight loss than the other kits on this list. It has a few different options available, and we like the thyroid and metabolism tests best.
With the metabolism test, we were able to learn about the three key hormones: cortisol, free testosterone, and TSH. Our report showed whether our researcher’s levels were high, medium, or low, with advice on how these hormones might affect weight loss.
You can also buy a dedicated thyroid kit, which we’ve also tested. This screens for T3, T4, and TSH. Our colleague not only learned about his overall thyroid function, but also how the thyroid gland can affect his weight loss goals. For example, he had a particularly low level of T3 and his report explained how this can lead to weight gain.
No matter which test you choose, sample collection is really easy. Our kit came with detailed instructions and all the equipment you need to take the finger-prick blood sample. It’s painless.
We were impressed with the results times, too. It only took 3 days to get our reports, which are available from your online dashboard.
Our colleague’s report was nicely color-coded so he could identify any concerns with hormone levels, and also see how his levels compared to normal averages.
We also liked that you can pay with HSA/FSA cards to save some dollars. And there’s a subscription option which is a great feature for regular weight loss testing.
Assess Your Hormones with Everlywell!
What We Look For in the Best Weight Loss DNA Tests
Consider these essential criteria when choosing a DNA test for weight loss. While their importance may vary based on your personal preferences, keep them in mind during your decision-making process.
- Trustworthiness: Evaluate the company’s reputation. Have people achieved positive outcomes using the DNA findings provided by the company?
- Relevance: Check if the company offers one or more tests specifically designed to address weight loss concerns.
- Report clarity: Ensure that your DNA results are coherent and easy to comprehend. Do they make sense to you?
- Actionability: Assess whether your report presents clear and actionable strategies, plans, and recipes tailored to your unique genetic predispositions, helping you implement effective diet and fitness approaches.
What’s in the Fine Print?
It’s crucial to examine the fine print when choosing the best DNA tests for weight loss. Hidden details in the terms and conditions can impact your experience and reveal limitations to the tests. For example, Living DNA offers a well-rounded weight management test, but its fine print reveals that it might use your data to improve the quality of its services.
Meanwhile, Everlywell emphasizes privacy but requires a subscription to access personalized meal plans and ongoing support. So, check the cost and cancellation policy to avoid unwanted surprises.
My Toolbox Genomics provides comprehensive insights, but its fine print indicates that results are for informational purposes only and not for diagnosing or treating medical conditions. Always consult with a healthcare professional to make informed decisions based on your test results.
Scrutinizing the fine print helps you choose the most suitable DNA test to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
How Do Our Top Picks Compete On Price?
In terms of value for money, it doesn’t get much better than Living DNA. This is my top choice because it’s affordable, only costing you just over $125, and it gives you way more information than you’d expect for that price, including food sensitivities and a full exercise breakdown.
If you’re looking for a cheaper option, Everlywell comes in at the lowest cost just shy of $50 for the metabolism test. And you can save up to 30% with the subscription option, too.
My Toolbox Genomics is in a higher price range, but you do get quite a lot of information for that cost. It comes with fitness and diet information, plus loads of health insights that you usually have to pay extra for.
SelfDecode is probably one of the most expensive on this list. You have to pay a subscription fee to access reports, which costs nearly $300. If you don’t have existing DNA, you also need to buy a separate kit for $90. And the annual subscription is $97 a year, but you still have to pay for individual reports. They’re half price, but still, not free.
Best DNA Test Kits for Weight Loss: Comparison
| DNA Test Kit | Exercise Plans | Food Recommendations | Food Intolerance Reports | Vitamin Reports | Weight Loss Hormone Reports | Starting Price |
| Living DNA | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | $139.00 |
| My Toolbox Genomics | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | $99.00 |
| SelfDecode | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | $199.00 |
| InsideTracker | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | $249.00 |
| Everlywell | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | $159.00 |
FAQs
How does DNA affect weight and weight loss?
Some of the factors that affect your weight – including your appetite, fitness levels, and ability to lose weight and keep it off – are genetic. Being aware of these genetic predispositions may help you decide what type of weight management strategy is best suited to your goals.
With that said, biology is not destiny, and your genes are only part of the picture. Factors such as your eating habits, level of physical activity, and age also play a huge role in your weight. When you’re looking for an effective weight management strategy, you should take all of these factors into account – and consult with a doctor or nutritionist before embarking on any new diet program.
Can a DNA test help you lose weight?
A DNA test by itself can’t help you lose weight, but it can help you formulate a diet and weight loss plan that’s tailored to your specific genetic traits. This helps you make the most of your weight loss efforts and lets you manage your weight and fitness long term.
How accurate are DNA weight loss kits?
A DNA test looks at specific genetic markers in your DNA that have been shown to be associated with various physical and physiological traits. DNA tests are able to interpret these markers pretty accurately and tell you what they mean. While no DNA test is 100% accurate, the companies listed here use the latest science and accredited labs.
What sort of things do DNA weight loss kits measure?
DNA weight loss kits can explore factors such as the speed of your metabolism, your genetic likelihood of being overweight, whether you’re genetically predisposed to experience food cravings, and how quickly you may regain weight after weight loss. The reports can also give you insights into how your body responds to exercise and whether you could potentially have a vitamin deficiency.
Can a DNA test tell you what to eat?
No DNA test will give you a complete diet plan. But, depending on the test you take, your results may include recommendations for foods that meet the nutritional needs of your genes. These foods might be recommended based on what your body responds to best for weight loss, or what your body needs based on deficiencies. A test like LivingDNA can tell you exactly which foods to include in your diet, and which ones to drop out.
Does insurance cover the cost of DNA weight loss kits?
Insurance does not typically cover the cost of DNA weight loss test kits. That said, you should get in touch with your insurance provider to fully understand your options.
What is the best DNA weight loss kit?
There are many DNA tests available to facilitate weight loss. The one that works best for you will depend on your personal preferences and goals. All of the tests on this list meet our high expectations for accuracy, thoroughness, and actionable insight.
Our top choice overall though, has to be Living DNA. It gives you the most comprehensive results, with a detailed look at which foods to include to help with weight loss, what to avoid, where you have deficiencies, and how your body metabolizes certain foods.
