What is nutrigenomics?
The importance of diet to sustain health, prevention and treatment of diseases has been known for a long time. However, the advent of new research tools such as high-throughput "omics" technologies (see What is "omics" science?) and bioinformatics has recently enabled researchers to go deeper in the analysis of the complex mechanisms that are involved in the way our bodies process and respond to food and thus, ultimately impact human health and well-being. Notably, the knowledge of the human genome has dramatically broadened the scope of studies in nutrition science. Nutrigenomics is the result of this new alliance between genomics and nutrition. A strict definition of nutrigenomics is difficult, as it often happens with emerging health technologies and new fields of inquiry. In effect, nutrigenomics (which encompasses nutrigenetics*) is a subspecialty of nutrition science which aims to understand how genome-diet interactions influence individuals’ and populations’ response to food, disease susceptibility, and population health. In this respect, nutrigenomics research aims to understand how nutrients and other food components influence genome expression but also how the genome (of individuals or populations) may impact response to diet. Beyond general understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in nutrition and health, nutrigenomics research often tends to focus on diagnostics and knowledge that could be used by subpopulations and/or individuals to customize their diet to prevent disease and promote well-being.
* A similar distinction exists between pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics and could be applied, in principle, to nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. However, as this field of research is newer, definitions of nutrigenomics as opposed to nutrigenetics may remain more controversial. To know more about such a distinction, please see "What is pharmacogenomics?".
Selected bibliography
Ferguson, L.R. (2009) "Nutrigenomics approaches to functional foods" J Am Diet Assoc 109(3): 452-58.
Garcia-Bailo, B., Toguri, C., Eny, K.M., El-Sohemy, A. (2009) "Genetic variation in taste and its influence on food selection" OMICS 13(1): 69-80.
Godard, B., Ozdemir, V. (2008). "Nutrigenomics and personalized diet: from molecule to intervention and nutri-ethics" OMICS 12(4): 227-28.
Kaput, J., Astley, S., Renkema, M., Ordovas, J., van Ommen, B. (2006) "Harnessing Nutrigenomics: Development of web-based communication, databases, resources, and tools" Genes Nutr 1(1): 5-11.
Ordovas, J.M., Mooser, V. (2004) "Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics" Curr Opin Lipidology 15: 101-108.
Ozdemir, V., Godard B. (2007) "Evidence based management of nutrigenomics expectations and ELSIs" Pharmacogenomics 8(8), 1151-1162.
Stover, P.J., Caudill, M.A. (2008) "Genetic and epigenetic contributions to human nutrition and health: managing genome-diet interactions" J Am Diet Assoc 108(9): 1480-87.
Subbiah, M.T. (2008) "Understanding the nutrigenomic definitions and concepts at the food-genome junction" OMICS 12(4): 229-35.
