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What “Individualised Nutrition” could do for you…
You are due for your regular diet MOT (moment of truth). You
take the smart card containing your DNA profile, which is
your genetic signature, to the diet clinic and provide a
pin-prick
of blood. Your blood is analysed and compared to your DNA.
After a short wait a dietary prescription tailored to your
specific genetic needs and perfectly balancing your macro-
and micro-nutrients needs is prepared. Your prescription
for the next few months is nothing like the one prepared
for your
Italian friend or your boss, who is a second generation Indian.
Even your brother, who leads a much more hectic lifestyle
than you, has been recommended a completely different range
of foods.
At the moment this is a fantastic scenario, but it is one
that scientists are already predicting could become technically
possible in the future.
Not so long ago, the study of nutrition and genetics ran on
separate parallel tracks. Now the tracks are merging as scientists
investigate the interaction between our genes and nutrition.
This new area of study, known scientifically as Nutrigenomics,
or in a more consumer friendly term as “Individualised Nutrition”,
is already providing promising information that could help us
tailor dietary advice more effectively to enhance health and
prevent some diseases.
But this is no simple task. Take heart disease for example.
There is not just one gene responsible for running the cardiovascular
system - at least 20,000 genes are involved. Although each gene
will only have a small effect, certain “marker genes” can give
an overall indication of a particular risk factor for developing
heart disease. For example, a gene that is involved in the control
of blood cholesterol has been identified. Apart from the most
common variation of this gene, there are two other variations
that either put people at a greater than average risk of high
cholesterol levels, or protect them.
It has been found that where lifestyle-related risk factors
for heart disease are low, for example in people who are physically
active and consume a low-fat diet, it does not make much difference
if you have the gene variant that predisposes you to high blood
cholesterol levels. On the other hand, where lifestyle-related
risk factors are high, perhaps an individual smokes, is physically
inactive and eats lots of saturated fat, having that gene will
result in higher blood cholesterol levels.
It has also been shown that when a group of people follow a
therapeutic (curative) diet to reduce total blood cholesterol
levels over a period of time, some people have a dramatic beneficial
metabolic response whilst others do not respond at all. Clearly
for the non-responders it is a waste of time coping with a change
of diet, whereas for the hyper-responders it is well worth the
effort. The key is to find a particular gene variation that the
hyper-responders have in common. Once this information is available
it would enable targeting of dietary advice to those people most
likely to benefit.
Apart from heart disease, several other genetic variations have
been found to be relevant to nutrition1. Genes that control folate
metabolism have been linked to conditions such as neural tube
defects, and a series of genes have been identified that are
linked to the absorption and regulation of iron levels in the
body. There is also evidence, from twin and sibling studies,
that suggests that genetic factors are a major determinant of
bone mineral density and structure.
There is no doubt that our genetic make-up predisposes us to
react to our environment in different ways. Future research will
make it possible for us find out how to best manage our environment
and diet to suit our physiology. As Jose Ordovas, Professor in
Nutrition and Genomics at Tufts University, Boston, USA says
2: “It is not a matter of nature or nurture; it is a matter of
nurturing our nature”
References
Elliot R and Jin Ong T (2002) Nutritional genomics a clinical
review. British Medical Journal. 324: 1438-1442
Nutrition Society Summer Meeting (2003) Individual variability
in the nutritional response. Kings College London.
