Table 2 Challenges along the path to system nutrition-based, personalized dietary and nutrient recommendations
Challenge/obstacle | References |
|---|---|
The bioavailability and bioactivity of micronutrients and bioactives differ widely according to chemical structure. Intake from dietary supplements and foods differ in content, matrices, and dose | Gaine et al. (2013) |
The micronutrient and bioactive content of plant foods is influenced by numerous plant-related factors (e.g., sun, ripeness, storage, preparation, processing), making accurate assessment of their intake difficult | Gaine et al. (2013) |
Errors in intake measurement: accuracy of food composition databases and reliability of FFQs, and intake amounts do not always equate to bioavailable doses | Gaine et al. (2013) |
The health benefits of micronutrients and bioactives in the current literature are often based on surrogate biomarkers of effect rather than actual health outcomes (endpoints), such as disease incidence or mortality | Gaine et al. (2013) |
Classical case/control designs of human clinical/nutritional intervention studies should be complemented by crossover, longitudinal studies, in which every subject is its own case and control | Kaput and Morine (2012) |
Homeostasis varies among individuals. Challenging homeostasis may identify individual health trajectories | van Ommen et al. (2009) |
The funding required in undertaking a formal federal review of micronutrient and bioactive intake has not been viewed as a priority | Gaine et al. (2013) |