In recent years, personalised nutrition has emerged as an exciting area of dietary science, aimed at providing tailored nutritional recommendations based on individual characteristics. With advances in genetics, microbiome research, and digital health technologies, we are moving away from the traditional "one-size-fits-all" dietary advice to more individualised approaches.

This editorial article by Jessica R. Biesiekierski, Katherine M. Livingstone, and George Moschonis provides an insightful overview of the progress and gaps in this growing field, while offering a roadmap for future developments.

What is Personalised Nutrition?

Personalised nutrition involves customising dietary recommendations to meet the unique needs of individuals. This can be based on a variety of factors, including genetics, metabolic profiles, microbiome composition, lifestyle factors, and environmental exposures. The idea is to provide more effective interventions that not only support better health but also enhance adherence to dietary advice.

Several components can contribute to a personalised nutrition plan, such as:

• Genetic Makeup: Understanding how individual genes influence the way we metabolise nutrients can help create more effective dietary interventions.
• Gut Microbiome: The bacteria in our gut play a key role in digestion and overall health. Personalised nutrition takes into account microbiome diversity to provide targeted dietary advice.
• Lifestyle Factors: Physical activity levels, stress, sleep, and even socioeconomic status can influence dietary needs and are considered in personalised nutrition.

Advances in Personalised Nutrition

The editorial outlines several advances in this field. For example, genomic testing and microbiome sequencing have become more accessible and affordable. Digital health technologies, including mobile health apps and wearable devices, are now able to monitor dietary intake, physical activity, and even physiological responses to food, which can be valuable for creating personalised plans.

Genetic Insights

The use of nutrigenomics, which studies the interaction between diet and genes, has allowed for more precise dietary recommendations. Research has shown that genetic variations can affect how individuals process different nutrients, which can influence their risk of developing diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. For example, people with certain genetic markers might benefit from lower fat or higher fibre diets, which are tailored to their unique genetic profiles.

Microbiome Studies

The gut microbiome is a rapidly growing area of interest in personalised nutrition. Our gut bacteria can influence the way we digest food and absorb nutrients, and it can also affect our immune system and even mood. Personalised nutrition strategies are now incorporating microbiome data to adjust dietary recommendations, focusing on promoting a healthy balance of gut bacteria.

Gaps and Challenges

Despite these advances, there are several challenges in implementing personalised nutrition on a wider scale. Some of the key gaps highlighted in the article include:

1. Lack of Standardisation: While genetic and microbiome testing technologies have improved, there is still a lack of standardisation in testing methods. This can make it difficult to compare results across studies and hinder the development of universal guidelines.
2. Evidence Gaps: There is still limited long-term evidence on the effectiveness of personalised nutrition interventions. Although the initial results are promising, more high-quality research is needed to validate the long-term impact of these strategies on health outcomes.
3. Behavioural Challenges: Changing dietary habits is difficult, and personalised recommendations can be complex. For personalised nutrition to be effective, it must consider the psychological and behavioural factors that influence eating habits. For example, someone may have the genetic predisposition to benefit from a low-carb diet, but if they find it difficult to adhere to such a plan, the intervention might not be successful.
4. Accessibility and Equity: Personalised nutrition often involves costly tests and technology, which can create disparities in access. People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may not have access to these resources, limiting the potential for personalised nutrition to reach all populations.

Next Steps

The authors suggest several strategies to address these challenges and move the field forward. Key recommendations include:

• Collaborative Research: More collaboration between dietitians, geneticists, microbiologists, and behavioural scientists is needed to create a more holistic approach to personalised nutrition.
• Public Health Integration: Personalised nutrition should be integrated into public health strategies. This could involve creating broader guidelines based on genetic or microbiome profiles that can be applied at a population level, making personalised nutrition more accessible.
• Technological Innovations: Continued advancements in digital health tools, such as mobile apps and wearable devices, can improve the collection of real-time data and make personalised recommendations more precise and accessible. However, these technologies must be designed with the user in mind to ensure ease of use and long-term adherence.
• Education and Training: For personalised nutrition to become mainstream, healthcare professionals need to be trained in these emerging areas. This includes dietitians who are on the front lines of providing nutritional advice, as well as other healthcare professionals involved in managing chronic diseases where nutrition plays a role.

Conclusion

Personalised nutrition represents a promising direction in dietary science, with the potential to significantly improve health outcomes by tailoring interventions to individuals' unique biological and lifestyle factors. However, the field is still in its infancy, with key gaps and challenges that must be addressed. Collaborative research, evidence generation, and ensuring equitable access to these advances will be crucial in unlocking the full potential of personalised nutrition.

As a  CORU Registered Dietitian, I can see that the insights from personalised nutrition offer exciting opportunities to further individualise care, leading to more effective and sustainable health improvements.

References

1. Biesiekierski, J.R., Livingstone, K.M., Moschonis, G. (2019). Personalised Nutrition: Updates, Gaps, and Next Steps. Nutrients, 11(8), 1959. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081959
2. Livingstone, K. M., Celis-Morales, C., Lara, J., et al. (2016). Personalised nutrition interventions: what have we learned from the Food4Me study? European Journal of Nutrition, 55(4), 1291–1305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-016-1176-9
3. Zeevi, D., Korem, T., Zmora, N., et al. (2015). Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses. Cell, 163(5), 1079–1094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.001