Not too long ago I was a sedentary, slightly-overweight, South Asian man entering my thirties. Like everyone I know, I felt that the less I saw my doctor, the better. Most importantly, by medical standards, I had no reason to consider myself predisposed to heart disease. Not long ago, my 23andMe data changed my story. (Read on for a personal story of how 23andMe results prompted someone to learn some valuable information about his family's medical history and make important changes for his health.)

We thought 2010 would be hard to top but we’re happy to say that 2011 has been even better. Here's our list of some of the most intriguing developments from 2011.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by very high levels of sugar in the blood and is the most common form of diabetes. Although eating rich food and leading a sedentary...