Nutrigenetics—Personalized Nutrition in the Genetic Age

Abstract

Diet is an important modifiable determinant of disease, and it is becoming clear that diet and genetic risk factors are interactive in determining risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers. Advances in technology have improved our understanding of gene-nutrient interactions, and lead to the development of nutrigenetics, personalized nutrition based on genetics. While evidence is strong for some associations, others remain unclear. As such, the implementation of nutrigenetics remains controversial. While some argue it is not ready for clinical use, it has also been argued that nutrigenetics is unfairly held to a higher standard than traditional nutrition research. Despite the future promise of nutrigenetic testing for improving health outcomes, several barriers in science, technology, acceptance and ethics exist to its implementation. Gene-nutrient associations have been identified in a number of lifestyle-associated diseases, and better understanding of these relationships may lead to improved health outcomes. However, the success of nutrigenetics is not only dependent on the strength of the science, but in consumer acceptance and uptake. This narrative review provides an overview of the current landscape for nutrigenetics in relation to key disease states, and addresses the potential barriers to implementation.