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Nutritional Genetics What Do We Know About the Future Diet?
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Increasingly, prevention or treatment of diseases is attributed to nutrition. The vital significance of diet has been a topic of conversation for centuries. The disciplines that strive to establish the relationship between genes and food are nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. Therefore, it is worthwhile to familiarize oneself with the latest research and consider how the future diet will look. Is it plausible that soon nutritional trends will be shaped by the genes present in the body?
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Nutrigenetics - the definition
Nutrigenetics is a field of knowledge that focuses on studying genetic differences and determining the relationships between genes and nutrients. In short, it reveals how genes affect the response of the entire organism to a specific food. This means that individuals with a certain polymorphism will have to follow specific dietary recommendations. Therefore, nutrigenetics aims to adapt the diet to the genotype. It is based on knowledge from other related scientific disciplines, such as genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, or pharmacology.
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The gene
In order to thoroughly comprehend the field of nutrigenetics, it is essential to elucidate the fundamental principles of genetics: - a specific DNA segment responsible for conveying a certain species attribute (typically encoding RNA or protein synthesis); - a collection of genes present in a cell; - a collection of genes that fully characterizes an individual and determines inherited traits. This set of genes forms the genotype, which comprises a group of individuals displaying physiological, anatomical, and biochemical features that are both discernible and measurable; - variations in DNA on a more extensive scale than mutations.
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Nutritional genetics and nutritional genomics
To fully comprehend the impact of nutrition on the genome, it is crucial to explain the differences between two very similar concepts: nutritional genetics and nutritional genomics. Nutritional genomics is the science that studies the individual response of the body to bioactive food components (e.g. vitamins, flavonoids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, pathogenic and probiotic bacteria). The aim of nutritional genomics is to understand how the genotype responds to food and to what extent it is sensitive to it. On the other hand, nutritional genetics deals with determining differences in reaction to specific food components depending on the presence of genes.
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Genetic studies
To perform a genetic test, a sample of biological material, such as saliva, blood, or a cheek swab, is required. The DNA strand is then isolated in a laboratory, and molecular biology methods, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), are used to detect mutations or genetic polymorphisms. However, it is important to note that only a small portion of the human genome is examined during these tests (there are more than 3 billion base pairs in the human body). The structure of DNA is quite complex and consists of bases such as purines and pyridines, which form pairs to create nucleotides, which in turn build the entire DNA molecule. Genetic testing can be useful in determining the risk for certain diseases or cancers. The cost of such tests can be high, but they can help prevent serious consequences of diseases such as breast cancer. Discovering a specific polymorphism or mutation can help to take preventive measures and extend life. The results are usually presented in the form of a multi-page report and should be interpreted with caution, as there are methodological limitations.
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Diet-linked diseases
In recent times, diet-linked diseases have come to light. One of them is phenylketonuria. People suffering from this disease lack the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Consequently, phenylalanine accumulates in their bodies, which can result in mental or motor impairments. This ailment necessitates the implementation of a diet low in phenylalanine. Its early detection is pivotal, hence tests are conducted on newborns for early diagnosis. Other examples of diseases that may stem from genetic factors include celiac disease. One of the most reliable methods to identify this disease is the presence of polymorphisms HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8 in the genes. However, the presence of these tissue compatibility complexes does not equate to the onset of celiac disease. Therefore, patients must exclude foods containing gluten, such as grains, e.g., wheat, rye, and barley, from their diet to prevent the onset of symptoms.
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Application of Nutritional Genetics in Medical Practice
Genetic studies can play a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of common diseases such as type 1 diabetes. A review of studies published in 2018 in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition provides evidence that the presence of certain polymorphisms may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. Additionally, mutations in genes that may be responsible for the development of type 1 diabetes have been studied. In 2018, a study was published in Diabetology Practice that showed that the overproduction of miR-652-5p in the genes ADAR and MARCH5 may serve as an indicator of the presence of this disease. In the same year, Stelmaszyk A. and Dworacka M. emphasized in their publication the significance of genes in the development of type 2 diabetes. Histone proteins are considered to play the main role – changes in histones can be associated with the occurrence of this disease. Furthermore, cholesterol levels can be associated with the presence of specific genes. In 2004, a study was published in The Journal of Human Genetics that showed that the polymorphism p. Leu162Val in PPAR-alpha may be associated with high total and LDL cholesterol levels as well as higher amounts of Apolipoprotein B in a fasting state. In 2009, a study was published that suggests that a polymorphism in the GST enzyme gene may be the cause of vitamin C deficiency in the body.
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Adjustment of diet during pregnancy
Increasing progress is being made in understanding how to provide pregnant women with an optimal diet that results in permanent changes in the genes, because it is essential for the developing fetus, as nutrients not only influence its normal growth in the womb, but also its health after birth and in the future. This process is known as diet optimization, as it leads to long-lasting changes in the genome that have lifetime effects.
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Brief summary
In brief, macro- and micronutrients do not have the same impact on all individuals. This is the reason why there is an increasing emphasis on tailoring the diet to individual needs. According to the above information, the factors influencing the personalization of the diet are not just dietary and lifestyle preferences, but also the human genome. Therefore, it can be assumed that in the future, genetic testing will be crucial in determining the appropriate diet. However, it is important to remember that the presence of certain genes may only indicate a higher risk of disease, not determine its occurrence. Therefore, one should not rely solely on genetic testing, but act sensibly and follow current dietary recommendations.
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Scientifically reviewed by a clinical dietitian
• 25.03.2026
Peña-Romero A.C. et al., The future of nutrition: Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in obesity and cardiovascular diseases, „Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition” 2018, 58(17), 3030–3041. Joffe Y.T., Houghton C.A., A Novel Approach to the Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics of Obesity and Weight Management, „Current Oncology Reports” 2016, 18(7), 43. Panczyk M., Nutrigenetyka i nutrigenomika – zastosowanie technologii „omics” w optymalizacji żywienia człowieka, „Pediatric Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism” 2013, 19(2), 70–77. Robitaille J. et al., Association between the PPARalpha-L162V polymorphism and components of the metabolic syndrome, „The American Journal of Human Genetics” 2004, 49(9), 482–489. Żurawek M. et al., Nadekspresja miR-652-5p u chorych z nowo rozpoznaną cukrzycą typu 1, „Diabetologia Praktyczna” 2018, 4(4), 203–210. Stelmaszyk A., Dworacka M., The importance of epigenetic factors for the diagnostics and treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, „Clinical Diabetology” 2018, 7(3), 164–170. Pudło H., Respondek M., Programowanie żywieniowe – wpływ odżywiania kobiet w ciąży na zdrowie dziecka, „Journal of Education, Health and Sport” 2016, 6(7), 589–600. Programowanie żywieniowe, czyli dieta w ciąży a zdrowie dziecka w przyszłości, kcalmar.com/dietetyk/blog/2017/05/22/programowanie-zywieniowe-czyli-dieta-w-ciazy (1.07.2019). Cahill L.E., Fontaine-Bisson B., El-Sohemy A., Functional genetic variants of glutathione S-transferase protect against serum ascorbic acid deficiency, „The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” 2009, 90(5), 1411–1417.
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