英語聽力文摘 營養(yǎng)基因組學(xué)
Nutrigenomics
營養(yǎng)基因組學(xué)(nutrigenomics 或nutritional genomics，又叫營養(yǎng)遺傳學(xué) nutrigenetics)是研究營養(yǎng)素和植物化學(xué)物質(zhì)對機(jī)體基因的轉(zhuǎn)錄、翻譯表達(dá)及代謝機(jī)理的科學(xué)。
膳食是影響人體健康最重要的環(huán)境因素之一。膳食因素與常見疾病的關(guān)系一直是營養(yǎng)學(xué)研究的主要內(nèi)容。然而，人們對膳食因素與基因因素的相互作用及其對機(jī)體健康的影響知之甚少。隨著人們對人類及其它生物體基因組的了解不斷深入，這種狀況正在開始改變。近年來，基因組技術(shù)在營養(yǎng)學(xué)研究中應(yīng)用的例子在迅速增加，基因多態(tài)性(polymorphisms)對膳食因素與疾病關(guān)系的影響也受到愈來愈多的營養(yǎng)學(xué)家所關(guān)注?？梢哉f，把浩瀚的基因組信息應(yīng)用于營養(yǎng)學(xué)中正成為這門學(xué)科的一個巨大的挑戰(zhàn)和新的增長點。
今天我們就一起來聽聽膳食，基因與人體健康的關(guān)系吧。
Today's moment of science is about nutrigenomics.
The study of genes has shown that every individual is genetically unique, and this discovery leads to a host of questions as to the relationship between an individual’s genes and environmental factors such as diet.
That is, how does diet interact with one’s genetic make-up to affect one’s health? This is the primary concern of nutrigenomics. It is the study of how different foods interact with particular genes, affecting how these genes act or altering their structures.
Specifically, nutrigenomics is concerned with how chemicals in different foods can interact with particular genes to increase the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and some cancers.
Nutrigenomics dictates that understanding how dietary chemicals regulate different genes will lead to individualized nutrition, the ability to design diets catered to one’s specific genetic make-up.
For example, the food pyramid developed by the USDA assumes that all Americans are the same and have the same dietary needs. Of course, the truth is that we’re not.
A lucky few of us can consume high fat diets and yet not develop heart disease, while others on moderate fat diets may develop heart disease.
Perhaps one day our doctors will read our DNA and take into account our genotype along with other environmental factors such as our physical activity. They may then prescribe us individualized diets, designed to match our unique nutritional needs.
This way, diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s may actually be slowed down or even prevented.
