NCTR Publications > NCTR Research Highlights

Current Highlight from September 17, 2010
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Genetic Variations in Nutritionally Related Chronic Disease

NCTR investigators have used data mining to show that a majority of the genes of the carbohydrate metabolic pathways are associated with chromosomal regions linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and that a number of key genes in these pathways contain single nucleotide polymorphisms (single nucleotide variation in the DNA sequence of individuals) that exhibit significant differences in frequencies among diverse ancestral groups. These differences may be among the key genetic variations that explain biological differences observed between individuals to various carbohydrate foods. This study emphasizes the significance of the metabolic pathways genes in the development of disease phenotypes and its differential occurrence across diverse ancestral populations and between individuals. Although health disparities result from a complex set of issues, including socioeconomic status, healthcare, and food access, research is increasingly demonstrating that genetic makeup influences the effects of drugs and nutrients in individuals. This is not a surprising result as a number of conditions are already known to have an ancestral component. A manuscript describing this research was recently published (Biotechnology Journal, 2010).

For more information, contact Vijayalakshmi Varma, Ph.D., Division of Personalized Nutrition and Medicine, FDA/NCTR or Jim Kaput, Ph.D., Director, Division of Personalized Nutrition and Medicine, FDA/NCTR.
NCTR Publications > NCTR Research Highlights