PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

What is personalized nutrition? Personalized nutrition involves the establishment of dietary recommendations for individuals based on their genetic makeup and their individual chronic disease risk. It is also referred to as "nutrigenomics" "nutrigenetics" "individualized nutrition", and nutritional genomics.

Is personalized nutrition advice an advantage over recommendations to follow the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans? It is known that adherence to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans is beneficial for a majority of the population; however, genetic factors may limit the benefits that an individual receives. Personalized nutrition would allow users to consume a diet that would provide them with an optimal level of nutrients.

Can the public currently receive accurate personalized nutrition advice? Although many experts agree that personalized nutrition will be the way of the future, this is still a very new area of research. Much more work must be completed before consumers will have access to personalized dietary recommendations.

Adapted from: Food Insight; November / December, 2003; pp.1,5.

Karrie Heneman, PhD. Nutrition Department, University of California, Davis. 

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