NUTRIGENOMICS – A NEW BORDELINE BIOMEDICAL DISCIPLINE

Nutrigenomics or nutritional genomics is a borderline discipline, a branch of ecogenomics which studies the role of individual genetic polymorphisms and the influence of diet as risk factors for the occurrence of chronic diseases. The interaction of genetic variation with dietary factors led to this new field of research, which relates the role of gene‐ tics to nutritional requirements and nutrition‐mediated susceptibility to chronic diseases. The present paper dis‐ cusses some general considerations on the objectives of nutrigenomics, such as: introducing a personalized nutri‐ tion based on individual genetic variations, identification of specific polymorphisms which, related to specific diets, increase the risk for chronic diseases, genetic testing of individuals and selection of diets appropriate to specific genetic constitutions, creation of new foods to improve consumers health (functional foods) or even to heal some metabolic deficiencies (nutraceutics). Eventually, we are debating the most recent trends in nutrigenomics from the point of view of different actors: physicians, researchers, medical health and food authorities, politicians, food industry representatives etc.