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A person's genetic predisposition to develop heart disease and history of hypertension are just as important as gender and age when it comes to determining dietary needs, according to an article in Nutrition Today. "Individualization of Nutrition Recommendations and Food Choices," written by Lori Hoolihan, PhD RD, discusses how a person's biological make-up coupled with personal lifestyle choices are among the many considerations that contribute to nutrition recommendations; a trend that may significantly alter the way health professionals prescribe diets for patients.We know a lot more about livestock nutrition and health than we do about human nutrition and health. People live too long for easy experimentation and can't be controlled as well as animals. There are ethical and legal impediments to human experimentation. As a result hogs had a cure for most types of stomach ulcers decades before humans did and some dairy cattle have customized diets that use direct measurement on a daily basis to maintain them in peak production and good health."Health professionals have been using family history of disease to determine their patients' risks for genetic diseases for years. Now, the science is getting to be such that health professionals will be able to recommend specific foods and nutrients for optimal health based on detailed patient profiles," states Hoolihan, research specialist for the Dairy Council of California.
Each animal is different in how efficiently it converts food to either meat or milk. Some can eat large amounts and produce little more than wastes while others will convert the feed to flesh and milk. Some need more carbohydrates (energy) and some need more protein or fats to be fit. Some need more minerals or digestive aids to maintain a healthful blood chemistry. Operators that just use herd averages and feed them all the same, relying on the livestock to know what they need and consume appropriate amounts by free choice, can go broke due to low production, failure to breed and death losses.
One size never fits all and nutritional advice based on such a model can be as harmful as helpful. When we examine such ideas closely we find that they have no value at all, that attempts to fine tune such guidelines are counterproductive, especially for the widely diverse human population.
"While the customization trend may sound ideal for those seeking the "perfect" diet, there are key issues that need to be resolved before the trend is embraced by all,' cautions Hoolihan. "Imagine the time it would take for doctors to prescribe very specific diets for each patient." Instead, the trend is more likely to bring about change in smaller steps. Segmenting the population into smaller groups beyond gender and age will provide one level of customization. For example, a 35-year old man who has a family history of hypertension may lower his risk of developing the condition by following a diet rich in low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables. Another 35-year old man who has a slow metabolism and low activity level may be advised to reduce calorie intake to prevent unwanted weight gain.Wouldn't it be a fine thing if the pseudo-scientists at the WHO were concerned about human nutrition in this way rather than frittering away their energies on political nonsense?Still another layer of customization may be reached by segmenting population groups by ethnicity and socioeconomic factors. Some in the health community are concerned that the technique will be unfairly available to the "haves" and not the "have-nots". Others see an opportunity to provide priority population groups with much-needed, tailored nutrition recommendations, which over time will lead to a change in how nutrition assessments and advice are provided to the entire population.