Nutritional genomics and personalized diet

Abstract

Nutritional genetics is considered as the combination of nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. Nutrigenomics is establishing the effects of ingested nutrients and other food components on gene expression and gene regulation. It will also determine the individual nutritional requirements based on the genetic makeup of the person (personalized diet) as well as the association between diet and chronic diseases which will help to understand the etiologic aspects of chronic diseases such as cancer, type-2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVS). Nutrigenetics on the other hand identifies how the genetic makeup of a particular individual co-ordinates his or her response to various dietary nutrients. It also reveals why and how people respond differently to the same nutrient. The present review will focus upon interaction of genetic background and diet with regard to development of such life threatening chronic conditions as obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer that are responsible for the majority of deaths in developed Western countries.