Although human genetics has a uniform pattern on a general scale, at the individual level we present unique characteristics that, to a greater or lesser extent, are direct determinants of physical health conditions and even mood, and are directly linked to diet and the way in which our organism, conditioned by genes, assimilates nutrients.
What is nutrigenetics?
It is a medical-scientific discipline that studies the interrelationship between the individual genome and nutrition, more specifically, the assimilation of nutrients, eating habits and the performance of food according to genetic polymorphisms.
In other words, it is a dna test that helps to understand why people react differently to the same foods, even when tested under similar weight and age conditions. In this context, heritable genetic mechanisms may help explain different responses to certain diets and diet-related diseases.
For example, individuals with a diabetic parent have a 40% chance of developing the disease, while the risk almost doubles if both parents are diabetic. Similar trends are reflected in other diseases, such as obesity.
Thus, knowing the interrelationship between nutrition and genetics represents a powerful tool that can help determine what type of food is best for each person, optimizing the traditional scheme of standard diets.
How can it be implemented?
- Through a test nutrigenetic: this is a medical procedure that involves the analysis of samples containing genetic material (present in the saliva or blood, for example) of the individual in question. The data is then evaluated by a qualified professional and presented to the applicant.
- Developing a personal diet: in relation to previous results.
- Structuring specific feeding times and places : according to Adrian Turjanski, professor and researcher in the area, these are complementary to the programmed diet, since genetic and metabolic performance in assimilating food is directly influenced by the schedule and climatic conditions.
Benefits
According to the Chilean Journal of Nutrition, the main benefit of conducting this type of genetic study is the development of a personal diet, since from this positive action can be taken on eating habits.
From this primary action, a set of positive results derive, among which the following stand out:
- It provides greater knowledge about our nutritional characteristics.
- It helps to have an efficient and balanced diet, which will be stress-free for the body.
- It provides more energy and, in turn, allows you to be more productive and reduce fatigue.
- Improves health status by preventing nutritional deficits, obesity, cardiovascular problems, etc.
- Prevents possible secondary food-related inconveniences (allergies, intolerances, gastrointestinal problems, etc.) in the short and long term.
- Improves mood and our response to stressful conditions.
For whom is it intended?
According to America Cell Bank, this resource is especially useful for certain populations:
- Parents who wish to provide their children with an optimal diet that promotes their physical and cognitive development according to their characteristics.
- People with hereditary obesity, because it allows identifying which foods could impact them positively or negatively.
- Athletes and sports people who want to improve their results through an optimized diet. The nutrigenetic test not only allows knowing which foods are useful for each sports discipline, but also which foods are better utilized.
- People who wish to change old eating habits for the better.
- Older adults seeking to prolong the health of their organism and have more energy.
Continuous advances in this important field allow nutrition professionals to make accurate diagnoses that lead to more effective action based on self-knowledge, positively impacting people’s physical and emotional health.
Reference:
https://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_serial&pid=0717-7518&lng=es&nrm=iso
