TalkDNA Diets? We Shall Soon See
Nutrigenomics - the study of how your genes and your diet interact to affect your health - has gained a lot of attention this year as a result of the promise it holds, and the perennial salesmen who are always trying to make a buck off the newest fad.
A team of team of researchers at Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre of Genomics in Society at the University of Exeter are lauching a study to find out what’s truth and what’s (science) fiction.
The BBC News reports:
Research has been carried out which has suggested some links between genetic variations and being vulnerable to certain illnesses or disorders which might react to certain diets.
But work has not yet been done which shows the reverse - that eating a certain diet can protect against a disease which your genes make you vulnerable to.
Lead researcher Dr Paula Saukko says,
“For the first time we are going to investigate what the public is being told by commercial companies and the scientists themselves.
“We are concerned, not just about what is being said in marketing, but what is said to people after they have been through the tests.” … She said that an analysis was needed so a “threshold” could be drawn setting down what should and should not be sold to the public.
Exactly! Understanding when and how to apply new science to our day-to-day lives is about patience and intelligent consideration. We’re always looking for a magic bullet - the perfect diet for effortless weight loss, the super vitamin that will keep us healthy forever - and DNA, genetics and genomics are the new frontier. They’re a sexy solution to what ails us. But as your mother probably told you: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So stay tuned and let’s see what shakes out with nutrigenomics.
Read earlier posts on Nutrigenomics
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