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Nutrigenetics guide

Explaining a genetic report clearly: how to run the conversation

Reviewed by Dr. Daniel Wallerstorfer, molecular biologist and founder of Novogenia · Updated: 12 October 2026 · Reading time: 9 min

In short

Explain genetic results as tendencies, not destiny: genes are one factor among many. Novogenia reports deliberately simplify and speak of “functioning” and “impaired” genes – and “impaired” does not mean “ill.” Start from your client’s goal, read the colors as signposts for a single trait, and agree on a few concrete steps. For symptoms, medical conditions, medications, pregnancy or questions about disease risk, refer your client to a physician.

The same cup of coffee is not the same cup for everyone

Every body has its own tool against caffeine. The blueprint for it sits in the CYP1A2 gene. When this gene is functioning, the body breaks down caffeine quickly. When it is impaired, caffeine stays in the body longer – and its effects linger.

Three sentences, one image, one clear message: that is how simple it can be to explain a genetic result. Novogenia reports speak the same way – of functioning and impaired genes. That is a deliberate simplification; the technically correct terms are genetic variants or polymorphisms. For lay clients, this language is a gift – as long as you put it into context correctly. This article shows you how.

Tendency, not destiny

The most important message of the report session fits into one sentence: genes show tendencies, not destiny. They influence how the body handles nutrients, exercise or stress. But diet, physical activity, sleep, age, medications and environment play a part too – and your client can change many of them.

Three rules for your language follow from this:

Probably, not certainly: “Your body probably breaks down caffeine more slowly” instead of “You can’t tolerate caffeine.”
Impaired does not mean ill: An impaired gene means that one of the body’s tools works less effectively for one trait. Words such as “mutation” or “ill” create the wrong picture – leave them out.
Action, not label: Every result ends with the question: what does this mean for your daily life?

Genetic results can be truly motivating: in a randomized trial, university students who received their FTO result on top of weight-control advice were more ready to control their weight – with no signs of genetic fatalism (Meisel et al., Obesity, 2015). For your counseling, this means: a well-explained result opens the door to change.

How genes and lifestyle work together is covered in Genes are not destiny: how genes and lifestyle work together.

What the report says – and how to translate it

At Novogenia, each report bundles several genetic analyses around one area of everyday life, such as nutrition, weight or sport. For each trait, it shows the person’s genes, a color-coded rating and recommendations. Here is how to translate the building blocks:

Building block	What it means	How you can put it
Gene	the blueprint for one of the body’s tools	“The lab read one specific spot in your recipe book.”
Your gene copies	two copies of each gene – one from the mother, one from the father	“You have two copies. Both can be functioning, one can be impaired, or both.”
Color-coded rating	how the genes are rated for this one trait	“The color shows whether an adjustment may be worthwhile here – not whether you are healthy.”
Recommendation	a logical conclusion drawn from the genes	“This is a suggestion. We will check it against your daily life.”

Two points reassure many clients. First: at Novogenia, a gene is included only if at least three independent studies support the effect. Second: we do not report unexpected, insufficiently documented variants – so the report contains no incidental findings.

Colors are signposts, not verdicts

Color codes make a report readable at a glance. To make them work at their best in the conversation, keep four points in mind:

One color, one trait: It describes, for example, caffeine breakdown – not overall health.
Colors do not add up: Several striking colors do not make a bad overall score. Almost everyone carries impaired genes for some traits.
A striking color opens a conversation: Only comparing it with daily life shows whether anything needs doing. Someone who hardly drinks coffee does not need to change anything about caffeine.
A favorable color is not a free pass: The general rules of a balanced diet still apply.

And a favorable result does not make people complacent: in the same trial, participants with a lower-risk FTO result were no less intent on controlling their weight than the control group (Meisel et al.).

Preparing for the session

Reread your client’s goal from the first consultation.
Mark the results that relate to this goal – you start with these.
Compare them with the food diary or questionnaire: where does behavior already fit, and where not?
Prepare one small, concrete step for each result you will discuss.
Note which questions belong in a physician’s hands.
Prepare a short written summary.

Sample phrases: how to say it clearly

Wording decides whether a result motivates or unsettles:

Instead of	Better
“One of your genes is broken.”	“Your CYP1A2 gene is impaired. That is why your body probably breaks down caffeine more slowly. It is not a sign of disease.”
“Your genes make you fat.”	“Your genes may make it a little easier or harder for you. What you eat and how you move still count.”
“You must not drink coffee anymore.”	“Try how you feel if you limit coffee to the morning.”
“Red means dangerous.”	“The color shows that an adjustment may be worthwhile for this trait.”
“This is scientifically proven.”	“That this gene influences metabolism is well documented. The recommendation drawn from it is a logical conclusion, not proven.”
“You’ll never be a good endurance athlete.”	“Your profile is more common among power athletes. You can still train endurance.”
“This means you will get disease X later.”	“This analysis says nothing about disease risks. If that is on your mind, talk to your physician.”

An example: from result to first step

A made-up, typical example: a client, 42, wants to feel more energetic in daily life and sleeps poorly. Her nutrition report shows two striking colors: her CYP1A2 gene is impaired, and her lactase genes show that lactase activity typically declines in adulthood.

Start from the goal: For energy and sleep, the caffeine result counts, so it comes first. Her food diary shows several cups of coffee a day, including in the afternoon.
Explain: “Your body probably breaks down caffeine more slowly. Afternoon coffee can still be working in the evening.”
Agree: Until the follow-up appointment, she drinks coffee only in the morning and notes how she sleeps.
Put the second result in context: She says she tolerates dairy well – so there is nothing to do. “The result shows a tendency. You are the best judge of how much milk sugar you tolerate.” If she had symptoms, you would recommend a medical evaluation, because digestive complaints can have many causes.

The pattern: not every striking color leads to an action. What matters is what fits the goal and what daily life shows.

When your client is worried

The good news first: a systematic review of randomized trials in which people received DNA-based risk information found no adverse effects such as depression or anxiety (Hollands et al., BMJ, 2016). Some individuals still react with concern. Typical questions and possible answers:

“Is this bad?” – “No. An impaired gene shows you what to pay attention to – not that something is wrong.”
“Can I change it?” – “Not your genes, but how you deal with them. That is exactly what the report is for.”
“Have I passed this on to my children?” – “Each child receives one of the two copies from each parent. With common lifestyle traits, that is no cause for concern. Medical questions about it belong with a physician.”
“Why does another test say something different?” – “Tests read different genes and interpret them differently.” More in Judging genetic tests.
“Who sees my data?” – Explain what was agreed in the consent; background in Genetic data and the GDPR.

If someone remains very unsettled, it is better to stop discussing results and refer them to a physician than to keep explaining.

Where your role ends: referring to a physician

Your field is nutrition and lifestyle. Refer your client to a physician if:

they have symptoms, such as digestive problems, persistent fatigue or unexplained weight change;
a medical condition is known or they take medications;
they are pregnant or breastfeeding;
there are signs of an eating disorder;
blood values are abnormal or need to be checked;
they ask about disease risks or appear very unsettled after the report;
medical analyses are involved, such as HLA-DQ2/DQ8 in connection with celiac disease, HFE in iron storage, APOE, thrombosis factors or pharmacogenetic analyses.

Wherever national law requires it, medical analyses – and their interpretation – belong in a physician’s hands. Do not make diagnoses, do not give advice on medications, and do not interpret medical findings. Which analyses you may offer is explained in Who may offer genetic tests?

Put it in black and white

A report often has many pages. What sticks is what you recorded together. Give your client a short summary in three parts:

What the results say: each discussed trait in one sentence, without jargon.
What we agreed: the concrete steps, as checkable as possible.
When we review it: the follow-up appointment and how you will measure progress.

Clients who want to dig deeper will find a gene story for many traits that explains the gene and the evidence in plain language – for example on caffeine and the CYP1A2 gene or on lactose and the LCT gene. The whole process from saliva sample to follow-up is described in Adding nutrigenetics to your practice.

Frequently asked questions

What do the colors in a genetic report mean?

The color shows how the genes are rated for a single trait – for example, whether an adjustment to diet or lifestyle may be worthwhile for that trait. It is not a diagnosis and says nothing about whether someone is healthy or ill. The colors of individual traits cannot be added up to an overall score either.

What does “impaired gene” mean?

Novogenia reports call favorable variants “functioning” and unfavorable ones “impaired.” That is a deliberate simplification; the technically correct terms are genetic variants or polymorphisms. An impaired gene is not a sign of disease: it simply means that one of the body’s tools works less effectively for a particular trait.

Do genetic reports cause anxiety?

A systematic review in the BMJ of trials in which people received genetic risk information found no adverse effects such as depression or anxiety. Some individuals still react with concern. Take worries seriously, explain the principle of “tendency, not destiny,” and refer medical questions to a physician.

When should I refer a client to a physician?

For symptoms, known medical conditions, medications, pregnancy and breastfeeding, signs of an eating disorder, abnormal blood values, strong distress, and whenever disease risks or medical analyses are involved.

Should I go through the report page by page?

Better not. Start from your client’s goal and discuss the results that relate to it first. Your client can read the rest at leisure and bring it up at the follow-up appointment.

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Note: This guide is general information for professionals and does not replace medical or legal advice. The genetic traits determined in a genetic analysis are well documented (each gene included is backed by at least three independent studies); recommendations on nutrition, micronutrients and lifestyle derived from them are logical conclusions, not scientifically proven. Regulations can change; errors and changes excepted.