Genetic and nutrient determinants of the metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is a very common condition that is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The diverse clinical characteristics illustrate the complexity of the disease, involving several dysregulated metabolic pathways and multiple genetic targets. The increasing prevalence of obesity heightens the requirement to reduce the risk of the metabolic syndrome. In order to understand the aetiology, it is critical to appreciate the nature of multiple gene-gene and gene-nutrient interactions relevant to the metabolic syndrome.

Research indicates a major role for genetic susceptibility to the metabolic syndrome. Nutrition clearly plays an important role in the development and progression of the condition. Genetic background can interact with habitual dietary fat composition, thereby affecting predisposition to the metabolic syndrome, and may also determine an individual's responsiveness to altered dietary fat intake. These studies indicate that therapeutic dietary therapy may require a 'personalized nutrition' approach, wherein a particular genetic profile may determine responsiveness of patients to specific dietary fatty acid interventions.

Understanding the biological impact of gene-nutrient interactions will provide a key insight into the pathogenesis and progression of diet-related polygenic disorders. This review explores the hypothesis that genetic components of the metabolic syndrome may be modified by dietary fatty acid composition.