Nutrigenetics

Abstract

In the past decades, extensive usage of omic technologies applied to nutrition has led to the concept of personalised dietary recommendations. It is now widely accepted that gene–diet interaction is a complex, bidirectional mechanism: food components can modulate the flow of genetic information by regulating genes at transcriptional, translational and post‐translational levels, whereas the individual's genotype determines specific responses to nutrient intake. Genetic variants (that represent the focus of nutrigenetic studies) influence the metabolism of almost all macro‐ and micronutrients, thus differentially impacting on human health. Although still a young field of research, nutrigenetics appears to be a promising tool for monitoring susceptibility to chronic pathologies, as well as for designing personalised nutrition in order to prevent (or eventually treat) the most common Western diet‐associated diseases. Key Concepts Several lines of evidence indicate that diet is a key determinant of health status and that many chronic degenerative diseases (including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases) could be prevented by adopting a correct lifestyle. Nutrigenetic studies indicate that there is a different susceptibility to development of these diseases in relation to food intake, due to specific genetic variants. Nutrigenomic studies indicate that macronutrients, micronutrients and bioactive compounds can modulate gene expression, thus affecting physical and mental health. Gene–diet interaction is a complex network; and data interpretation is not easy, as foods contain many components usually acting in combination and dietary patterns are quite variable. It is not easy to translate scientific evidence into nutritional advice, because the organism is complex and different environmental and genetic factors have to be taken into account, especially considering the wide interindividual variability in metabolic responses. Although holding strong promise, personalised nutrition is far from being applicable, as much accurate research is needed before application to dietetic practice.

Nutrigenomics: linking food to genome

“…Micronutrients play a vital role in maintaining genome stability (Table 3) by regulating DNA synthesis, methylation, and repair (Fenech, 2012). Savini et al (2016) and Surendran et al (2018) communicated that identification of indispensable micronutrient-rich foods for DNA replication and repair or for the prevention of genomedamaging events is vital for maintaining proper health and metabolism in individuals. The amount of micronutrients that appear to be protective against genome damage varies greatly between foods (Fenech, 2005(Fenech, , 2008, as well as between individuals, due to taste preferences (Diószegi et al, 2019;Garcia-Bailo et al, 2009) or cultural or religious constraints (El-Sohemy et al, 2007).…”

Personalized Nutrition Approach in Pregnancy and Early Life to Tackle Childhood and Adult Non-Communicable Diseases

“…Likewise, the genetic variants and epigenetics are involved in the health outcomes of the offspring due to the nutritional status of the mother; the proteins being translated by those genes can have a crucial role in developing a disease. This concept is called nutri-transcriptomics, as the transcription of the gene depends on the diet, and how nutrients and nutritional status impact the gene expression at the level of mRNA [ 181 ].…”

Essential Dietary Bioactive Lipids in Neuroinflammatory Diseases

“…Food, indeed, due to the coexistence of specific components, appears to have significant effects (both positive and negative) on well-being throughout life. Importantly, dietary adjustments and the so-called ''personalized nutrition'' may not only influence existing health but also determine whether or not an individual will eventually develop such diseases (167).…”