Use of Nutrigenomic Models for the Personalized Treatment With Medical Foods in Obese People

Use of Nutrigenomic Models for the Personalized Treatment With Medical Foods in Obese People

The NutriGen project will be using nutrigenomic methods to determine the effectiveness of treatments with specific dietary foods, on the basis of genetic risk predisposition (genetic signature) of obese individuals.

NutriGen project specific aim 1. Establishing a genetic signature model, involved in the donation of methyl groups and unsaturated omega-6/3 fatty acids metabolism, with a high predictive value for classification of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance in obese subjects.

1. Establishing a genetic signature model in obese adults with dyslipidemia.
2. Establishing a genetic signature model in obese children with insulin resistance. c. Establishing a correlation between blood/plasma concentrations of the relevant metabolites, genetic signatures and dyslipidemia profile of adults, and respectively a profile for insulin resistance in obese children.

NutriGen project specific aim 2. Determining the efficacy of a dietary food specific treatment, which is also correlated with a genetic signature (nutrigenomics), based on the correlations defined in objective 1:

1. Implementation of a treatment with dietary foods (for adults), in the presence/absence of other already prescribed treatments;
2. Implementation of a treatment with dietary foods (for children), in the presence/absence of other already prescribed treatments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults: between 18 and 70 years old; obesity present as defined by body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 and by abdominal circumference ≥84 cm (women), and ≥90 cm (men); dyslipidemia present as defined by: serum Cholesterol ≥200 mg/dl, HDLc ≤50 mg/dl (women) or ≤40 mg/dl (men), serum Triglycerides ≥150 mg/dl, or present treatment for dyslipidemia (e.g. statins, fibrates, omega-3 fatty acids, cholestyramine, ezetimibe).
• Children: age between 7 and 18 years old; BMI >+2SD WHO reference

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adults: diagnosed for any type of cancer, or medical history of cancer; any auto-immune disease; any psychiatric disorder; blood coagulation disorders; history of drug abuse; alcohol abuse evaluated using AUDIT-C.
• Children: the above exclusion criteria for adults; familial hypercholesterolemia; endocrine-induced obesity (Cushing syndrome, hypothyroidism, growth hormone deficit), hypothalamus-induced obesity (Babinski-Fröhlich syndrome), genetic syndromes (Prader-Willi, achondroplasia, Bardet-Biedl, Fanconi, Turner, etc.); deposition diseases (glycogenosis, lipomatosis); personal history for: convulsive disorders, nephrotic syndrome, or asthma that necessitated corticoid treatment.