More research is being done on the issue of diets that are particularily suited to a particular persons genetic make up. Everyone knows that when they eat certain foods they feel better and that also certain food types diagree with them and scientists have been trying to show that different people may need to eat different foods to maintain optimum health. Think of it like different car engines performing best on different types of petrol and the soon we may be eating special diets that are scientifically optimised for our digestive systems and body types.

Some of the research being done comes from the Nutritional Science Research Group at the National Cancer Institute in Washington DC and the researchers there are working on a body-typing program and they claim that this approach to diet is beneficial in for around 75% of people who use it. The body type diet looks at diet from a genetic glandular angle and seeks to regulate glandular activity.

The thinking behind this diet is that we all possess one gland that is dominant and we must seek to regulate this gland with diet and exercise. This diet takes into account that the foods that you really crave are probably the foods that you should not be eating.  The way that your body type is defined is through the use of a questionaire that works out what glandular type you are. The questionnaire asks questions like what part of your body you put on weight on and what sort of holidays you like and obviously what sort of foods you like. Based on your answers the researchers will determine what sort of category you fit in and what sort of diet and exercise you should use.

Critics say that this sort of approach to dieting is just a waste of time and the best approach is a simple one that relies on a balanced diet and regular exercise. Sometimes by overcomplicating a diet you can increase the chances of failure so while the genetic based diet may be the right diet for certain people it may be over complicated for other people.