Introducing nutritional genomics teaching in undergraduate dietetic curricula

Abstract

Nutritional genomics offers great promise to personal health management based on the understanding of the relationship between diet, gene expression and health outcomes. Our readiness to deliver nutrigenetic-based nutrition education has been slow due to the complexity of gene-nutrient interaction and interplays between many disciplines such as genetics, nutrition, biostatistics, sociology, law and philosophy in the process. To make a public impact, we must prepare future allied health professionals with knowledge necessary to provide nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic education. We have described here a plan to introduce nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic education in dietetic curricula that may serve as an example for other allied health programs.