Diet, genes and health: towards

effective personalised nutrition advice

John Mathers
Human Nutrition Research Centre
Institute for Ageing and Health
Newcastle University

John Mathers
Diet, genes and health: towards
effective personalised nutrition advice
Presenter Disclosure Information:
Conflicts of interest/
This speaker has no conflicts of interest

Musculoskeletal disorders are major

causes of years lived with disability

Murray CJ et al. (2013)

Lancet 381, 997-1020

Poor diet and physical inactivity

account for much DALYs in UK

Murray CJ et al. (2013) Lancet 381, 997-1020

Nutrition
interacts with
genotype to
influence
health

Mathers JC (2002) Br. J. Nutr.

88, (Suppl. 3), S273-S279

Health is plastic: Importance of dietgene interactions

Phenotype = [(environmental exposure) * genotype]

Diet

Obesity health and wellbeing

throughout the life-course and risk
of age-related diseases

 Physical activity risk (age of onset)

of chronic diseases
More
PA

Handschin C & Spiegelman BM (2008) Nature 454, 463-469

Behaviour change is the key

Interventions fruit and veg. intakes

Lara J et al. (2014)

BMC Medicine 12: 60

Personalised lifestyle-based
interventions .1

Personalised lifestyle-based
interventions .2

64,000 dollars questions

Will personalised nutrition produce:
Bigger, more appropriate, more sustained, behaviour
change?
Bigger gains in health and wellbeing?
than can be achieved by conventional dietary advice?

How useful is genotypebased dietary advice?

MARK GABRENYA/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Views of
genotypic
analysis
among
readers of
Nature

Maher B (2011) Nature 478, 11

How will people respond to genotypebased information?

Bouwman L (2009) Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands

Systematic
review of
effectiveness of
DNA-based
advice in
changing
behaviour .1

Marteau TM et al. (2010)

Cochrane Database Syst. Rev.
Oct. 6 (10): CD007275

Systematic review of effectiveness of

DNA-based advice in changing
behaviour .2
Conclusions:
Mindful of the weak evidence based on a small number of
studies of limited quality ... communicating DNA-based
disease risk estimates ... may have a small effect on selfreported diet and on intentions to change behaviour.
Claims that receiving DNA-based test results motivates
people to change their behaviour are not supported by the
evidence.
Larger and better-quality RCTs are needed.
Marteau TM et al. (2010) Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. Oct. 6 (10): CD007275

Food 4Me Proof of Principle

(PoP) Study
Is it possible to deliver personalised
nutrition (PN) and is it effective?
Is PN advice more effective than general
healthy eating guidelines?
What is the best basis for personalisation?
Is the internet a successful delivery platform?

Recruitment for Food4Me Study

Partners from 7 countries
1.

University College Dublin (Ireland)

2.

Maastricht University (The Netherlands)

3.

University of Navarra (Spain)

4.

University of Reading (UK)

5.

National Food and Nutrition Institute Warsaw (Poland)

6.

Harokopio University Athens (Athens)

7.

Technische Universitaet Muenchen (Germany)

Coordinated by Newcastle
University

Study Design
Randomised Controlled Trial
Adults
Recruitment target (1540)

220

4 Treatment groups

220

220

220

220

Intervention lasted 6 months

220

220

Internet-based format

Study Design
Is PN advice more effective than general healthy
eating guidelines?
Level 0: Non-Personalised dietary advice (Control group)

Total Participants
Level 0 n=385

Study Design
Is PN advice more effective than general healthy
eating guidelines?
Level 1: Personalised DIETARY Advice

Total Participants
Level 1 n=385

Study Design
Is PN advice more effective than general healthy
eating guidelines?
Level 2: Personalised DIETARY + PHENOTYPE Advice

Total Participants
Level 2 n=385

Collection of Phenotypic Data

Anthropometrics measurement:
(self-reported)
Height
Weight
Waist circumference
Hip circumference
Thigh circumference

Collection of Phenotypic Data

Physical Activity Measurement:
Physical activity (PA) measured
objectively using Phillips PA
accelerometers
PA data collected continuously
throughout 6 months of intervention
Self-reported using an International PA
questionnaire.

Collection of Phenotypic Data

Metabolic and Nutritional Markers
Measurement :
2 Dry Blood Spot Card (DBS)
DBS card were posted back to each
Study Centre
35 metabolic & nutritional markers
measured (including Glucose,
Cholesterol, Vitamin D, Carotenoids
and Fatty acids)

Study Design
Is PN advice more effective than general healthy
eating guidelines?
Level 3: Personal DIETARY + PHENOTYPE + GENOMIC advice

Total Participants
Level 3 n=385

Collection of Genomic Data

Genetic Markers:
Buccal cells collected for DNA
extraction
32 nutrient-related genetic variants
genotyped for the food4me Study
Personalised nutritional advice for
the PoP Study is based on 5
nutrient-related genetic variants

How do we integrate these complex data and

develop personalised nutritional advice?

Providing feedback and advice

Validation
Novel aspects of
food4me PoP Study:
Internet-based
Remote collection of
data and biological
samples

Validation
Two major issues:

Validation
10% validation sample:

1. Identity

+
2. Measurements

Study completed March 2014

Personalised nutrition?

Promising
Too early for implementation
Outcomes of Food4Me Proof
of Principle Study awaited
Kevin Clarke (1989) Self portrait in Ixuatio

Acknowledgements

Carlos Celis
Jose Lara
Marianne Walsh
Mike Gibney