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Functional foods and health: a US perspective
1Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Boulevard, Suite 3164, Rockville, MD 20892, USA. milnerj@mail.nih.gov
The British Journal of Nutrition
|December 24, 2002
Summary
Dietary habits significantly impact quality of life and disease prevention. Emerging genomic and proteomic technologies can identify how nutrients affect cellular processes for optimized nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Nutritional Science
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
- Proteomics
Background:
- Growing evidence links diet to quality of life, growth, development, and disease prevention.
- Medicinal benefits of food components are of increasing scientific and public interest.
- Defining an ideal diet is complex due to numerous interacting dietary components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the intricate relationship between diet and quality of life.
- To highlight the role of dietary components in influencing biological processes.
- To leverage new technologies for understanding nutrient-gene interactions.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological, pre-clinical, and clinical studies.
- Application of emerging genomic and proteomic approaches.
- Analysis of cellular 'signatures' (gene activity and products).
Main Results:
- Dietary components influence growth, development, performance, and disease prevention.
- Genetic and epigenetic events are modified by specific dietary constituents.
- Genomic and proteomic technologies offer insights into molecular targets of nutrients.
Conclusions:
- Understanding cellular characteristics and nutrient targets can optimize nutrition.
- Personalized nutrition strategies can be developed to minimize disease risk.
- Bridging molecular biology with dietary science is key to enhancing health outcomes.