Role of precision nutrition in improving military performance

Nutrient-epigenome interactions: Implications for personalized nutrition against aging-associated diseases

Aging is a multifaceted process involving genetic and environmental interactions often resulting in epigenetic changes, potentially leading to aging-related diseases. Various strategies, like dietary interventions and calorie restrictions, have been employed to modify these epigenetic landscapes. A burgeoning field of interest focuses on the role of microbiota in human health, emphasizing system biology and computational approaches. These methods help decipher the intricate interplay between diet and gut microbiota, facilitating the creation of personalized nutrition strategies. In this review, we analysed the mechanisms related to nutritional interventions while highlighting the influence of dietary strategies, like calorie restriction and intermittent fasting, on microbial composition and function. We explore how gut microbiota affects the efficacy of interventions using tools like multi-omics data integration, network analysis, and machine learning. These tools enable us to pinpoint critical regulatory elements and generate individualized models for dietary responses. Lastly, we emphasize the need for a deeper comprehension of nutrient-epigenome interactions and the potential of personalized nutrition informed by individual genetic and epigenetic profiles. As knowledge and technology advance, dietary epigenetics stands on the cusp of reshaping our strategy against aging and related diseases.

Gene-Diet Interactions on Metabolic Disease-Related Outcomes in Southeast Asian Populations: A Systematic Review

Diabetes and obesity are chronic diseases that are a burden to low- and middle-income countries. We conducted this systematic review to understand gene-diet interactions affecting the Southeast Asian population's risk of obesity and diabetes. The literature search was performed on Google Scholar and MEDLINE (PubMed) search engines independently by four reviewers who evaluated the eligibility of articles based on inclusion criteria. Out of 19,031 articles, 20 articles examining gene-diet interactions on obesity and/or diabetes-related traits met the inclusion criteria. Three (Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore) out of eleven Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have conducted studies on gene-diet interactions on obesity and diabetes. From the 20 selected articles, the most common interactions were observed between macronutrients and genetic risk score (GRS) on metabolic disease-related traits in the Malay, Chinese, and Indian ethnicities. Overall, we identified 29 significant gene-diet interactions in the Southeast Asian population. The results of this systematic review demonstrate ethnic-specific gene-nutrient interactions on metabolic-disease-related traits in the Southeast Asian population. This is the first systematic review to explore gene-diet interactions on obesity and diabetes in the Southeast Asian population and further research using larger sample sizes is required for better understanding and framing nutrigenetic approaches for personalized nutrition.

Role of nutrition in human performance in military populations

The role of nutrition and performance is well established. Service members' physical and cognitive performance, sleep and mood are impacted by nutritional choices. Although many eating patterns have emerged, consensus among experts recommend a dietary pattern focused on predominantly whole plant-based foods. Adequate intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds should be prioritised. Implementation of strategic and intentional fuelling strategies around times of activity maintain adequate energy stores, enhance recovery and protect against training injuries. Carbohydrates are prioritised before, during and after activity or a mission, although the type and amount will vary based on duration and intensity of activity. Protein is generally the focus after activity or a mission and may be included before activity depending on individual tolerance. There are no specific recommendations for fat consumption before, during and after exercise that will improve performance. That said, Service members generally tolerate low-fat meals/snacks prior to exercise, limit fat intake during exercise, may include fat as part of the post exercise meal/snack, and generally consume most fat during the maintenance and growth phase. Careful consideration and planning for food and fluid requirements should be made when Service members are exposed to heat, cold and/or altitude. Operational rations are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of all Service members across a variety of diverse climates, environments and altitudes. Service members may use dietary supplements to improve their performance and need to be aware of available resources to help them make informed decisions.