Evaluating Changes in Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake after Receiving Personal FADS1 Genetic Information: A Randomized Nutrigenetic Intervention.

Kaitlin Roke,David Mutch,Sanjeena Subedi,Kathryn Walton,Jess Haines,Amber Harnett,Shannon Klingel

doi:10.3390/nu9030240

Abstract

Nutrigenetics research is anticipated to lay the foundation for personalized dietary recommendations; however, it remains unclear if providing individuals with their personal genetic information changes dietary behaviors. Our objective was to evaluate if providing information for a common variant in the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene changed omega-3 fatty acid (FA) intake and blood levels in young female adults (18–25 years). Participants were randomized into Genetic (intervention) and Non-Genetic (control) groups, with measurements taken at Baseline and Final (12 weeks). Dietary intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was assessed using an omega-3 food frequency questionnaire. Red blood cell (RBC) FA content was quantified by gas chromatography. Implications of participation in a nutrigenetics study and awareness of omega-3 FAs were assessed with online questionnaires. Upon completion of the study, EPA and DHA intake increased significantly (p = 1.0 × 10−4) in all participants. This change was reflected by small increases in RBC %EPA. Participants in the Genetic group showed increased awareness of omega-3 terminology by the end of the study, reported that the dietary recommendations were more useful, and rated cost as a barrier to omega-3 consumption less often than those in the Non-Genetic group. Providing participants FADS1 genetic information did not appear to influence omega-3 intake during the 12 weeks, but did change perceptions and behaviors related to omega-3 FAs in this timeframe.

Highlights

The field of nutritional genomics, or nutrigenetics, aims to unravel the genetic basis for why individuals respond differently to the same nutrients and/or foods [1,2,3]
We found that individuals in both the Genetic and Non-Genetic groups increased their intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by the end of the study, and this was reflected by significant increases in Red blood cell (RBC) %EPA
The present study represents the first of its kind to explore the provision of fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) genetic information and subsequent changes in omega-3 fatty acid (FA) intake

Summary

Introduction

The field of nutritional genomics, or nutrigenetics, aims to unravel the genetic basis for why individuals respond differently to the same nutrients and/or foods [1,2,3]. The long-term outcomes of this research are expected to lay the foundation for personalized dietary recommendations to help prevent the development of chronic diseases. A more direct outcome of nutrigenetics research may entail the use of personal genetic information as an additional factor to help motivate people to adopt healthier dietary behaviors. The vast majority of nutrigenetic studies have examined and assessed perceptions of genetic and health information in various populations [3,4,5]. There are currently a limited number of randomized controlled nutrigenetic trials assessing if providing genetic information changes dietary behaviors. The few nutrigenetic intervention studies performed to date suggest that individuals who receive personal genetic information may make more changes to their diet compared to controls [10,11,12,13]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion