A method of estimating de novo lipogenesis in a subject comprising: measuring the levels of three or more biomarkers in a biological sample wherein the biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of the total level of myristic acid (14:0), the total level of myristoleic acid (14:1n5), the total level of palmitate (16:0), the total level of palmito leate (16:1n7), the total level of sapienic acid (16:1n10), the total level of squalene, the total level of linoleate (18:2n6), the total level of arachidonic acid (20:4n6), the total level of docosaheaenoic acid (22:6n3), the level of myristic acid (14:0) in one or more lipid class, the level of myristoleic acid (14:1n5) in one or more lipid class, the level of palmitate (16:0) in one or more lipid class, the level of palmitoleate (16:1n7) in one or more lipid class, the level of sapienic acid (16:1n10) in one or more lipid class, the level of squalene in one or more lipid class, the level of linoleate (18:2n6) in one or more lipid class, the level of arachidonic acid (20:4n6) in one or more lipid class, and the level of docosaheaenoic acid (22:6n3) in one or more lipid class in a sample collected from the subject; and using one of the following models to generate a de novo lipogenesis index score to estimate the de novo lipogenesis in the subject: (i) DNL= a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) (ii) DNL = (a(16:0) + b(16:1n7)) / c(18:2n6) (iii) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5) (iv) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5)-f(20:4n6) - g(22:6n3) (v) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(18:2n6), or (vi) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(squalene), wherein a, b, c, d, e, f, and g are constant numbers; (16:0), (16:1n7), (18:2n6), (14:0), (14:1n5), (20:4n6), (22:6n3), (16:1n10), and squalene are measured values of the biomarker analyte; and DNL is the predicted de novo lipogenesis index score. measuring the levels of three or more biomarkers in a biological sample wherein the biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of the total level of myristic acid (14:0), the total level of myristoleic acid (14:1n5), the total level of palmitate (16:0), the total level of palmito leate (16:1n7), the total level of sapienic acid (16:1n10), the total level of squalene, the total level of linoleate (18:2n6), the total level of arachidonic acid (20:4n6), the total level of docosaheaenoic acid (22:6n3), the level of myristic acid (14:0) in one or more lipid class, the level of myristoleic acid (14:1n5) in one or more lipid class, the level of palmitate (16:0) in one or more lipid class, the level of palmitoleate (16:1n7) in one or more lipid class, the level of sapienic acid (16:1n10) in one or more lipid class, the level of squalene in one or more lipid class, the level of linoleate (18:2n6) in one or more lipid class, the level of arachidonic acid (20:4n6) in one or more lipid class, and the level of docosaheaenoic acid (22:6n3) in one or more lipid class in a sample collected from the subject; and using one of the following models to generate a de novo lipogenesis index score to estimate the de novo lipogenesis in the subject: (i) DNL= a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) (ii) DNL = (a(16:0) + b(16:1n7)) / c(18:2n6) (iii) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5) (iv) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5)-f(20:4n6) - g(22:6n3) (v) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(18:2n6), or (vi) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(squalene), (i) DNL= a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) (ii) DNL = (a(16:0) + b(16:1n7)) / c(18:2n6) (iii) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5) (iv) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n7) - c(18:2n6) + d(14:0) + e(14:1n5)-f(20:4n6) - g(22:6n3) (v) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(18:2n6), or (vi) DNL = a(16:0) + b(16:1n10) - c(squalene),