Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Genetic Mechanisms in Nutrition

Genetic mechanisms in nutrition concern the two-way relationship between the genome and diet: how inherited genetic variation shapes individual responses to nutrients, and how dietary components in turn influence gene expression. The first strand, often termed nutrigenetics, examines how polymorphisms in genes gover…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 11 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 27× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2379-7835 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

Genetic mechanisms in nutrition concern the two-way relationship between the genome and diet: how inherited genetic variation shapes individual responses to nutrients, and how dietary components in turn influence gene expression. The first strand, often termed nutrigenetics, examines how polymorphisms in genes governing the digestion, absorption, transport, and metabolism of nutrients, and the perception of taste, account for differences between people in nutrient requirements, tolerance, and susceptibility to diet-related disease. The second strand, nutrigenomics, studies how nutrients and bioactive food compounds act as signals that regulate the transcription of genes and downstream metabolic and physiological pathways. Closely related are epigenetic mechanisms, in which diet and other environmental exposures modify gene activity, through processes such as DNA methylation and histone modification, without altering the DNA sequence, sometimes with lasting or even heritable effects. Together these mechanisms help explain why responses to the same diet vary among individuals and how early-life and ongoing nutrition can influence long-term health, including risk of metabolic, cardiovascular, and other chronic conditions. The field also considers interactions with the gut microbiota and with specific dietary patterns. By integrating genetics, epigenetics, and metabolism, the study of genetic mechanisms in nutrition underpins the concept of personalised or precision nutrition, in which dietary guidance is tailored to an individual's genetic and biological characteristics to optimise health and prevent disease.

Research published in this journal

11 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2015

Epigenetics and Nutrition

Lundstrom KennethCorresponding author
PanTherapeuitcs, Rue des Remparts 4, CH1095 Lutry, Switzerland
International Journal of Nutrition Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-14-603
2016

Obesity and Asthma: Nutrition Risk Factors In Adolescents

Jobim Benedetti FrancelianeCorresponding author
Nutritionist, Master’s Graduate Program in Health child and adolescent in Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and Professor Graduate in Centro Univeritário Franciscano.
International Journal of Nutrition doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-15-770

How this research is being cited

The 11 articles above have been cited 27 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Genetic Mechanisms in Nutrition, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in International Journal of Nutrition (ISSN 2379-7835).

Journal editorial board
Kadri Koppel · United States Alicja Kuban-Jankowska · Poland Luigia Pazzagli · Italy

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.