An insight into the public acceptance of nutrigenomic-based personalised nutrition

Abstract

It is predicted that non-communicable diseases will account for over 73 % of global mortality in 2020. Given that the majority of these deaths occur in developed countries such as the UK, and that up to 80 % of chronic disease could be prevented through improvements in diet and lifestyle, it is imperative that dietary guidelines and disease prevention strategies are reviewed in order to improve their efficacy. Since the completion of the human genome project our understanding of complex interactions between environmental factors such as diet and genes has progressed considerably, as has the potential to individualise diets using dietary, phenotypic and genotypic data. Thus, there is an ambition for dietary interventions to move away from population-based guidance towards 'personalised nutrition'. The present paper reviews current evidence for the public acceptance of genetic testing and personalised nutrition in disease prevention. Health and clear consumer benefits have been identified as key motivators in the uptake of genetic testing, with individuals reporting personal experience of disease, such as those with specific symptoms, being more willing to undergo genetic testing for the purpose of personalised nutrition. This greater perceived susceptibility to disease may also improve motivation to change behaviour which is a key barrier in the success of any nutrition intervention. Several consumer concerns have been identified in the literature which should be addressed before the introduction of a nutrigenomic-based personalised nutrition service. Future research should focus on the efficacy and implementation of nutrigenomic-based personalised nutrition.

Design and baseline characteristics of the Food4Me study: a web-based randomised controlled trial of personalised nutrition in seven European countries

“…In line with prevalence across Europe, given just under half (44.8 %) of participants had a BMI C 25.0 kg m -2 and 32.1 % were physically inactive individuals. Our results suggest that those interested in PN are representative of European adults (Hallal et al 2012;OECD 2012) and are not unduly skewed towards individuals who are already very healthy people (the ''worried well'') or those wishing to lose weight (Fallaize et al 2013;Gibney and Walsh 2013;Stewart-Knox et al 2009. The profile of the European population interested in webdelivered PN and recruited to the Food4Me intervention study is broadly similar to that of the adult population in Europe most of whom would benefit from improving diet and other lifestyle behaviours.…”

“…The webbased design of the study is likely to have contributed to the observation that there were fewer participants in the older age groups. Possible explanations for this may include (1) less access to computers and the Internet, although such access is changing fast all over Europe (Seybert 2010); (2) less interest in the concept of PN and genetic testing (Fallaize et al 2013;Stewart-Knox et al 2009); (3) less interest in health-related behavioural research generally; and (4) less well targeted by the recruitment advertising. In line with prevalence across Europe, given just under half (44.8 %) of participants had a BMI C 25.0 kg m -2 and 32.1 % were physically inactive individuals.…”

Personalized weight loss strategies—the role of macronutrient distribution

“…Evidence must be accumulated through extensive, well-designed RCTs, 27, 105 and the public perception, attitudes and trust towards personalized nutrition should be explored and consolidated. 84,106 Genetic tests, if handled by specialists, could facilitate the translation of scientific knowledge to the general public. However, testing alone is not enough; patients who are left to draw their own conclusions from the results are at risk of suboptimal self-administration of dietary advice.…”

Guide and Position of the International Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics on Personalized Nutrition: Part 2 - Ethics, Challenges and Endeavors of Precision Nutrition

“…Similarly, the success of personalized diets is dependent on an individual's motivation and on prospective benefits offered by such dietary changes [21]. Eating is a process that involves psychosocial factors, and therefore, individualization of diet based only on genetic information can generate ethical and operational controversies.…”

“…In many cases, there is also a component of moral beliefs and attitudes [63,64]. There is good public acceptance of genetic testing for hereditary diseases [21]. Several studies indicate that there is also a widespread positive attitude among the public toward using genetic tests for personalized nutrition [65,66,67].…”