Practice of Nutrigenetics Discussed at CIU

Cyprus International University (CIU), Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics organized an event titled "Future Outlook in Preventive Health: Nutrigenetics and Personalized Innovative Treatments." 
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics lecturer Dr. Ayşe Okan in her opening speech noted that nutrigenetics is a branch of science that examines the relationship between genetic structure and nutrition, and added that within this context improvements can be made by creating personalized nutrition plans that would yield healthy outcomes.
Okan stated that studies in the field of nutrition consider genetic predispositions, and that this allows the development of more effective and targeted treatment methods.
Okan emphasized that depending on the developments and advances in the field of nutrigenetics, nutritional recommendations suitable for each individual's genetic structure can be created and stated that these developments will also contribute to the prevention and management of chronic diseases more effectively.
In her speech, Okan also emphasized that all these innovations have a great potential in terms of protecting and improving public health.
In the panel held after the opening speech, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Djamgoz, Emeritus Professor of Cancer Biology and Neurobiology, explained the complex relationship between nutrition and genetics and how epigenetic mechanisms affect this process. In his presentation, he emphasized the effects of nutrition on gene expression and the importance of personalized nutritional approaches in preventing diseases.
Dr. Elif Sibel Aslan investigated the epigenetic effects of nutrition on Hashimoto's thyroid gland and explained the role of certain nutrients on thyroid function and immunoregulation.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülsen Meral in her speech gave information about the significance of vitamin D intake and said that poor lifestyle and environmental factors cause genetic changes in the genes, in the liver that activate vitamin D, and hence silence the genes and suppress vitamin D absorption.
RDN Esra Şahin talked about the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on hormone balance and explained the harmful effects of these chemicals on health.
In her presentation, Research Assistant Gülsüm Gürdil presented new insights on obesity and nutrigenetic tests and discussed the role of genetic variants in the development of obesity and the importance of personalized nutrition recommendations.