But Amati said Zoe did not create a worrying well, noting that this issue has been a problem for public health services for a very long time. “Sure, we probably created a new stream to feed the well we're worried about, but I think it's a bigger problem than just Zoe.”
There's also a big question mark over how useful personalized nutrition actually is. Zoe's nutrition score is based on the idea that each of us reacts slightly differently to the same foods. This is partly due to the microbiome. However, translating this into dietary advice is difficult and poorly understood. For example, a personalized diet might tell you to eat less white bread and more leafy greens, but is this really more effective than the same advice provided by your GP or public health advertisements? Or?
“Zoe isn't ignoring all normal health advice,” says Amati. “We're not like, 'Oh, no, let's eat more fruits and vegetables.' That's within the range of recommendations that we know are very good for the vast majority. .”
Duane Mellor, a nutritionist and researcher at Aston University in the UK, says there is little valuable clinical trial data on personalized nutrition apps. An Israeli study published in 2015 compared personalized meals generated by a machine learning algorithm with meals selected by a clinical nutritionist. The authors found that people in both groups had fewer increases in blood sugar levels after meals, indicating they were eating healthier diets.
But whether personalized nutrition plans really make a difference is something Zoe is researching. Next month, the company will release results from a randomized controlled trial called the Zoe Method Study, Amati said. In the trial, one group received the entire Zoe product, while another received just standard nutritional advice, as well as access to support services via an app. The study not only tests cholesterol and triglyceride (a type of fat) levels, but also weight, blood pressure, blood sugar control and hunger levels.
All of this doesn't come cheap, and Zoe users must pay a membership fee for continued access to their bespoke scores. Prices start at £59.99 ($73) per month and go down to £24.99 ($30) per month for annual plans. At this price, Zoe targets wealthy consumers. Columnist James Greig, who wrote about Zoe in his newsletter, doesn't forget this. Bittles“If our environment is truly saturated with toxins, then bespoke services like Zoe are not a scalable solution, but a form of private healthcare that further entrenches existing inequalities. “It will be,” Greig wrote.
Amati acknowledges that Zoe's program is expensive, but says, “The reason our current product is priced this way is because the tests we do are expensive.” . It is her belief that as techniques and technology become more commonplace, prices will fall accordingly, and Zoe is working with the NHS and other healthcare providers to ensure that “part of the approach to health… She says she has a plan. In the meantime, the company is focused on disseminating health advice for free through social media and forums such as podcasts.
Zoe remains popular, with over 130,000 people having tried the service so far. Part of the appeal of personalized nutrition is that it can address not only weight loss but other concerns people have about their health. Zoe promotes the diet as a way to improve energy levels, gut health, and sleep. William Viney, a researcher who has worked on personalized medicine, points out that a large number of people have health problems that cannot be easily addressed by doctors or mainstream diets. “They know they're not like everyone else, and they need to get to the bottom of something,” Vinny said. “There is an opportunity to provide information, and provide it sensitively, to those who can pay for such products.”
