Future Perspectives of Personalized Weight Loss Interventions Based on Nutrigenetic, Epigenetic, and Metagenomic Data

Abstract

As obesity has become a major global public health challenge, a large number of studies have analyzed different strategies aimed at inducing a negative energy balance and, consequently, body weight loss. However, most existing weight loss programs are generally unsuccessful, so several interventions have been carried out to identify physiologic and behavioral factors concerning this variability in order to implement more personalized treatment. Nowadays, an individualized approach is being proposed through so-called personalized nutrition, whereby not only the phenotype but also the genotype is used for customized nutrition treatment. Regarding body weight regulation, ∼70 polymorphisms have been identified in or near genes related to energy expenditure, appetite, adipogenesis, insulin resistance, and lipid metabolism. Although personalized nutrition refers mainly to genetic makeup, recent advances in the investigation of the epigenome and the microbiome open the door to implement more personalized recommendations for body weight management. In this context, recent studies have demonstrated the existence of several epigenetic markers that may modify gene expression and could be involved in the outcome of weight loss interventions. Moreover, different studies have shown that dietary interventions could affect the composition of gut microbiota and have an impact on body weight. The integration of nutrigenetic, epigenetic, and metagenomic data may lead to the design of more personalized dietary treatments to prevent chronic diseases and to optimize the individual's response to dietary interventions.

Health impact of the Anthropocene: the complex relationship between gut microbiota, epigenetics, and human health, using obesity as an example

“…In humans, the microbiota composition is usually different in lean and obese people with obese having showed a reduction in Bacteroidetes accompanied by a rise in Firmicutes [34,36,62,63,66,68,93,94]. Evidence shows that some bacteria, particular in the Firmicutes phyla, are better at harvesting energy from the food than other phyla and bacterial species thereby contributing to weight gain [34,65,68,93]. Remely et al [94] also found a significantly higher ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in type-2 diabetics compared to lean controls and obese.…”

Guide for Current Nutrigenetic, Nutrigenomic, and Nutriepigenetic Approaches for Precision Nutrition Involving the Prevention and Management of Chronic Diseases Associated with Obesity

“…Also, it is now recognized that interactions of genetic and epigenetic signatures with environmental factors (dietary intake or physical activity) play an important role in determining individual phenotypes [6,7]. Recent advances in genomic sequencing and large cohort studies are enabling clarification of the involvement and the interplay of these factors in chronic disorders including obesity, which open a new field to customize intervention strategies [8,9]. Precision medicine refers to disease therapeutics based on interindividual differences, such as genetic profile, phenotype, gender, microbiome, and environmental features [10].…”

miR-1185-1 and miR-548q Are Biomarkers of Response to Weight Loss and Regulate the Expression of GSK3B

“…However, obesity status is complex and multifactorial, and lifestyle modifications including dietary-induced weight loss and physical activity are not equally effective for every person. Therefore, continuous efforts are being made to develop personalized approaches based on nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic data [3]. Consequently, novel biomarkers of prognosis or even of response to dietary treatments to overcome obesity and its inflammatory state are urgently required.…”