Page 56 - FoodFocusThailand No.189 December 2021
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STRATEGIC R & D
What Is Personalized
Nutrition?
Personalized nutrition is
a nutritional counseling
service tailored to suit
individual characteristics. Since
people have different biological
traits dictated by their genetic
predisposition and environments, each
person has unique nutritional needs and
requires individualized dietary consumption.
An assessment of these individual traits can help achieve
the nutritional counsel that effectively and beneficially meet
their biological needs.
Personalized Nutrition
and Related Factors for Analysis
The main goal of personalized nutrition is to improve an individual’s due to consumption of high-sodium food. Such tests are conducted so
health while taking into consideration his or her genetic makeup, that nutritionally adequate foods can be prepared for and catered to their
biological attributes, personal consumption behavior, and other relevant personnel. The preparation of genetically compatible food is, therefore,
elements. Also known as tailored dietary advice, this counseling offers of similar nature to the concept of personalized nutrition.
more specific nutritional consultation. Its main objective is to treat and The preparation of dietary plans that can optimally respond to different
prevent non-communicative diseases (NCDs), as well as to reduce physiological and genetic conditions must be based on a large volume
the risk factors thereof. NCDs are associated with metabolic disorders of biological data. As a result, genetic diagnostic technologies, such as
induced by unhealthy consumption behaviors. Personalized nutrition DNA testing, are employed in nutritional management by scientists. Also
offers an effective dietary consultation that is ideal for one’s nutritional known as nutrigenomics, this innovation is used in the USA, especially
requirements and provides a healthy dietary plan. There are also other for athletes, who require strict dietary planning to optimize their
variables that must be considered, such as physical activity, physical physiological competency for training and competition. It can also be
exercise, physical movement and intestinal microbiome. used in dietary planning for individuals with obesity and diabetes. In
Thailand, personalized nutrition technology comes in the form of
Factors for Personalized Nutrition Analysis customized vitamins. In hospitals, a complete body checkup is conducted
Genetics Genetic factors can reveal various potential reactions to identify the current levels of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and
that different individuals may have on certain types of food, such as hormones in the patient’s body to ensure accurate and personalized
people with hypolactasia, celiac disease, or phenylketuronia (PKU) subsequent treatments. If the deficiency of any vitamin or mineral is
— a disorder caused by the deficiency of the enzyme that can break detected, the vitamin or mineral in question will be prescribed accordingly.
down phenylalanine, an amino acid that can be found in all types of The assessment of personalized nutrition can be divided into 3 steps.
protein-based food and whose overaccumulation within the body can The first one is the general nutritional assessment according to age,
cause brain damage and severe intellectual disability. Personalized gender, and other social variables. The second is more specific as it
nutrition for individuals at higher risk for these hereditary disorders, involves the evaluation of genetic traits, such as skin color. The third
therefore, must exclude any food that may trigger the symptoms of step is the analysis of genes or DNA that may affect the potential
these diseases. In the private sector, some organizations conduct reactions to the individual’s dietary consumption. These three factors
genetic tests on their personnel to identify the specificity of caffeine are the main pillar of personalized nutrition. Nutrition science will face a
metabolism and its metabolites, to analyze the risk for weight gain after challenging future overwhelmed with obesity and NCDs caused by the
saturated fat ingestion, or to assess the increase in risk for hypertension environments that encourage widespread consumption of unhealthy
food.
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