Opportunities to integrate nutrigenomics into clinical practice and patient counseling

Little progress has been made in translating nutrigenomics knowledge into clinical counseling in the past decade. Currently, clinicians are overwhelmed by nutrigenomics information without the proper scientific guidelines on patient counseling.

In this study, we conducted a scoping review of the primary literature to assess the current evidence of nutrigenomics counseling. A literature search using PRISMA guidelines identified the current challenges and opportunities facing nutrigenomics counseling in clinical practice.

We identified four main themes: inadequate training, lack of awareness, underdeveloped nutrigenomics counseling skills, and unreliable evidence-based practice information. Many clinicians did not have the necessary knowledge to perform nutrigenomic counseling and were unaware of the available scientific information source. Moreover, there are no guidelines in the scientific community to counsel patients on nutrigenomics testing.

Opportunities exist for government and non-government entities to create an evidence-based information platform using clinical guidelines to integrate nutrigenomics knowledge from bench to bedside successfully.