Personalised nutrition advice able to reduce junk food intake, suggests study – FoodNavigator.com

The research team suggests future personalised nutrition approaches could target intake of these discretionary foods via food-based messaging that considers the eating context of the foods consumed.

“For example, if salt intake was identified as a top nutrient to change and meat-based dishes were the main contributing food sources, then a message may include, “Reduce your intake of processed meats and pies; swap salami, ham and bacon for turkey or beef,”” ​suggests the team led by Katherine Livingstone, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at Deakin University.

The team, which included colleagues from Newcastle University and the University of Navarra, began enrolling 1,607 adults from seven European countries into the six-month study.

Diet, phenotype and genotype groups​

Adults were randomised into either a control group, or one of three personalised nutrition groups (based on diet [L1], phenotype [L2] and genotype [L3]).

The control group was given usual dietary advice. For example, “eat at least five serves of fruit and vegetables each day.”

Meanwhile, the L1 group received advice based on what they ate. For example, for someone eating a lot of salty meat products, we told them to reduce their intake of processed meats and pies, and swap salami and bacon for turkey or beef.

The L2 group received advice based on diet and body measurements. For example, if someone had high waist circumference and cholesterol levels, and was snacking on biscuits and chocolate.

The team would then advise them they were carrying too much weight around their middle and had high cholesterol levels so would benefit from snacking on fruit and healthy fats, such as nuts, instead.