Join the ZOE METHOD Study to understand your body’s unique responses to food.

Overview

A personalized approach

Global rates of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health conditions are not improving. Current nutritional guidelines attempt to address this by tackling excess body weight as the key problem behind these diet-related diseases. However, weight gain is a symptom of poor metabolic health, and tackling it directly may overlook the root of the problem. They also treat us all the same (a one-size-fits-all approach), when in reality our bodies are all very different.

At ZOE, we have assembled a team of world-renowned scientists to delve deeper into the personalized nutrition approach. The first step to reaching your best health is to discover exactly how your body works and then retrain your biology from the inside out to improve your metabolic health. We have already seen great success with the personalized 4-week ZOE program aimed at improving health by avoiding dietary inflammation and boosting the gut microbiome.

On our mission to continuously improve our science, we have now launched the ZOE METHOD Study. This study will test the effects of a personalized dietary action plan on your health, and compare it to standard nutritional advice currently being used on a public health level. In this way we will test the benefits of a personalized approach to nutrition compared to a general approach.

What will I get if I take part in ZOE METHOD?

Not only will your participation help advance research into personalized nutrition, but you will also be given the results of your tests and questionnaires. You will be allocated to one of two groups in the study. One group will follow generalized dietary advice currently in use in the US, and the other group will be given personalized dietary advice. Both groups will have the opportunity to take part in the ZOE program for free and receive the testing kit at no charge, so you can find out about the right foods for your biology. What’s more, after the study ends, you will be given free access to the ZOE app!

Study Overview

What will I have to do if I take part?

You will need to provide your consent to taking part in the study and complete all the study tasks described above. The leaflet group will receive general nutrition advice in the form of the USDA dietary leaflet. The program group will be given personalized advice unique to each participant. Both groups will need to closely follow the dietary advice they are given. All study materials will be provided for you free of charge and travel to Quest Centers will be reimbursed.

You will be allocated to either a program group, or a leaflet group. You will need to follow the instructions and tasks specific to your group only.

What’s in the ZOE kit?

If you are allocated to the program group, you will need to complete the ZOE Testing Kit along with the PREDICT 3 study, at the beginning and end of your METHOD study period. This testing includes:

• Wearing a blood sugar monitor on your arm.
• Using finger-pricks to sample a small amount of blood from your finger.
• Eating 3 muffin-meals for breakfast and lunch, and fasting (not eating or drinking anything) before and after the meals.
• Logging the food and drink you have at least once a month, using the ZOE app.
• Collecting a stool sample.

Can I take part?

You can check your eligibility using our screening questionnaire.

You are eligible for study if you meet the following conditions:

• Aged 40-70 years old.
• Live anywhere in the continental US and Hawaii, and not in New York state.
• Are any sex.
• Meet certain waist circumference criteria based on your ethnicity.
• Have a combined intake of fruit and vegetables below 3 cups per day (450g per day).
• You are willing to comply with the study protocol.
• You can confirm you do not meet any exclusion criteria.

Unfortunately, you will not be able to participate if you meet any of the following conditions:

• Have already purchased the ZOE product or taken part in any PREDICT study beforehand.
• Are unable to read and write in English, as the ZOE app is only available in English.
• Do not complete the first Quest visit successfully.
• Have an iPhone/Android device not compatible with the ZOE product.
• Are taking medications affecting lipids (lipid lowering drugs e.g statins, anti-diabetic medications, e.g metformin, and insulin) supplements including fish oil (unless you are willing to come off these for 4 weeks before the start of the study, and for duration of study).
• Have ongoing inflammatory disease ie rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyalgia and other connective tissue diseases.
• Have had cancer in the last three years, excluding skin cancer.
• Have chronic gastrointestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or celiac disease (gluten allergy), but not including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Are taking the following daily medications: immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, antibiotics in the last three months, not including inhalers.
• Are users of prescription PPIs (such as omeprazole and pantoprazol), unless you are able to stop two weeks before the start of the study and remain off them for the entire duration of the study (provided your treating physician deems it safe for you to do so).
• Are currently suffering from acute clinically diagnosed depression or anxiety disorder.
• Have had a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or stroke in the last 6 months.
• Are pregnant or planning pregnancy in next 12 months, or are breastfeeding.
• Are vegan, have an eating disorder or unwilling to take foods that are part of the study.
• Have an allergy to adhesives which would prevent proper attachment of the blood sugar monitor.

Are you interested in joining the ZOE METHOD Study?