摘要：We conducted population-based surveys on direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic testing in Michigan, Oregon, and Utah as part of the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Awareness of the tests was highest in Oregon (24.4%) and lowest in Michigan (7.6%). Predictors of awareness were more education, higher income, and increasing age, except among those 65 years or older. Less than 1% had used a health-related direct-to-consumer genetic test. Public health systems should increase consumer and provider education and continue surveillance on direct-to-consumer genetic tests. The increasing availability of direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic tests is an emerging public health issue. 1 – 7 Direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic testing entails combining information on diet and lifestyle with testing for genetic variants of mostly uncertain clinical significance 8 to inform recommendations on changes in behaviors, diet, specific nutritional supplements, or some combination of the three. Direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic tests are ordered directly by consumers without the involvement of a health care provider, and the direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic testing company provides the consumer with results and nutritional advice. In July 2005, several established businesses began offering direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic tests in several retail outlets in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health was invited by registered dieticians in the field to observe and provide technical support. After a highly critical report by the US Government Accountability Office 9 was released in July 2006, however, retail sales of the nutrigenomic testing kits in Minnesota were discontinued. These events raised questions about the public health impact of nutrigenomic testing. To address this issue, public health researchers developed and administered questions via the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems (BRFSS) in Michigan, Oregon, and Utah to assess the public's knowledge of and interest in direct-to-consumer nutrigenomic testing. These results were compared with a recent study 10 of the HealthStyles national survey, conducted by Synovate Inc, which surveyed 5250 respondents about health-related topics.
