Genetics and Epigenetics in Personalized Nutrition: Evidence, Expectations, and Experiences

Abstract

With the presentation of the blueprint of the first human genome in 2001 and the advent of technologies for high‐throughput genetic analysis, personalized nutrition (PN) becomes a new scientific field and the first commercial offerings of genotype‐based nutrition advice emerge at the same time. Here, the state of evidence for the effect of genetic and epigenetic factors in the development of obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and resulting illnesses such as non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases is summarized. This study also critically value the concepts of PN that are built around the new genetic avenue from both the academic and a commercial perspective and their effectiveness in causing sustained changes in diet, lifestyle, and for improving health. Despite almost 20 years of research and commercial direct‐to‐consumer offerings, evidence for the success of gene‐based dietary recommendations is still generally lacking. This calls for new concepts of future PN solutions that incorporate more phenotypic measures and provide a panel of instruments (e.g., self‐ and bio‐monitoring tools, feedback systems, algorithms based on artificial intelligence) that increases compliance based on the individual´s physical and social environment and value system.

Machine learning and personalized nutrition: a promising liaison?

“…Moreover, the application of ML in the field of PN faces still another challenge: There is a lack of valid outcome measures. Some parameters such as blood glucose levels can easily and even continuously be measured, but are they indeed suitable overall health indicators in persons without diabetes [ 1 ]? Other outcome parameters such as the composition of the gut microbiome do not even have a clear definition of an optimal status [ 15 ].…”

“…In fact, PN started as a new scientific discipline 20 years ago when the human genome became available [ 1 ] and first commercial offers for PN also emerged in 2003. PN meanwhile matured and is nowadays more than gene-based dietary recommendations.…”

A conceptual framework for adaptive personalized nutrition advice systems (APNASs)

“…Although commercial PN applications and products frequently offer promises of optimized health management for consumers, scientific evidence that demonstrates an optimized individual health impact is generally lacking. To date, scientific intervention studies that predominately evaluated the effect of genetic-based PN advice on improvement in diet and health-related indicators are limited and yield small effects and inconsistent results (for an overview, see 5,8,17). Recent commercial PN approaches, which are based on gut microbiome analyses, are surging with an estimated market value of hundreds of million dollars by 2030 (18), which contrasts with the lack of evidence for the add-on benefit of these concepts (13).…”

“…Over the past 20 years, the research on PN and commercial services used lifestyle information and biomedical parameters -mainly genotype and, recently, microbiome datacombined with established lifestyle-associated risks to individualize dietary advice (e.g., [7][8][9].…”

Sensitivity of the Neuroendocrine Stress Axis in Metabolic Diseases

“…Additionally, although often caused by lifestyle factors, genetic predisposition also has a significant impact on disease progression. Inherited single gene anomalies are the cause of many metabolic disorders, which can present themselves later in life, often triggered by metabolic stress such as prolonged fasting or severe illness [3].…”