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Table 3 Application of the framework

From: Proposed guidelines to evaluate scientific validity and evidence for genotype-based dietary advice

This framework described here can be used by dietitians, nutritionists, doctors and genetic counsellors (and customers too) to judge the soundness of gene(s)-diet interactions. As such, nutrigenetics may develop to be part of standard of care. Ultimately, the use of evidence-based nutrigenetic tools should be the basis for dietary advice aimed not only to reduce the risk of disease but also as a tool to optimise diet to promote long-term health.

Nutrition gene cards

This framework can be used to assess the specific relation between a gene (genes) and nutrient for publication. For this purpose, the Global Nutrigenetics Knowledge Network also developed the concept of a nutrition gene card, which is a short publication using this framework and assessing a specific gene-diet interaction. These short publications should include all the aspects of Table 2.

The nutrition gene cards should adhere to some basic rules:

1. Studies should be identified in a systematic way, and studies that contain proven statistical flaws will be explicitly removed from consideration.

2. The nutrition gene card should be peer reviewed.

3. All guidelines should be publicly available as an online educational resource.

4. All researchers are invited to contribute to the nutrition gene card––either to update current cards or to propose new gene-diet cards.

Presumably, the lessons learned by writing these nutrition gene cards will sharpen the framework as described in this paper.