QF Researcher Highlights Precision Nutrition's Key Role

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Precision nutrition is an emerging field that tailors dietary recommendations based on individual characteristics to improve health outcomes, noted a Qatar Foundation (QF) researcher.
“Precision nutrition is like finding the perfect fuel for your body – not just any fuel, but the one that makes your engine run smoothly and efficiently. It looks at your genetics, lifestyle, and health to create a custom nutrition plan that helps you feel your best, perform better, and even prevent health issues down the road,” said Dr Annalisa Terranegra, principal investigator and head of the Laboratory of Precision Nutrition at QF's Sidra Medicine.
Precision nutrition is a key aspect of precision health, which aims to optimise individual health, prevent chronic diseases, and manage existing conditions by tailoring dietary advice to a person's unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environment.
“By considering how different factors – such as genetics, gut microbiome, and lifestyle – affect how our bodies process food, precision nutrition aims to offer the most effective and scientifically-backed dietary strategies for each individual,” explained Dr Terranegra, who works in Sidra Medicine's Reproductive and Perinatal Health Division.
“Maternal diet and lifestyle are major determinants of a baby's health. The first 1,000 days, from conception, until the baby is two years old, are crucial in shaping health and diseases later in life, and half of this period – pregnancy and breastfeeding – is primarily influenced by maternal diet.
“A healthy diet and lifestyle serve as the first line of treatment for pregnancy complications, such as gestational diabetes. However, each mother is unique in terms of taste, culture, and health conditions. We should offer personalised recommendations that address their needs, beginning from the preconception period and continuing through pregnancy and postpartum.”
Sidra Medicine is conducting several studies using precision nutrition to improve female patient care. One example is the PN-ART study (Precision Nutrition in Assisted Reproductive Technologies).
While the impact of diet, lifestyle, and microbiome on preconception is known, the molecular mechanisms linking diet and follicular metabolism remain unclear. This study recruits women from Sidra Medicine's reproductive medicine clinics to explore the connection between nutrition, blood, and follicular molecular signatures, and ART outcomes.
Dr Terranegra recalls a 13-year-old male being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease (CD) and admitted to Sidra Medicine. The patient followed a specialised restricted diet for two years as part of a research project on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The precision nutrition approach led to significant improvements in his clinical outcomes, including remission from CD.
“After one year, tests showed healthier gut and oral microbiomes, with reduced immune response,” she says.“However, when the diet was stopped, the patient relapsed, indicating the importance of personalised dietary interventions for managing CD. This case clearly showed the potential of precision nutrition, more precisely personalised dietary intervention, in improving health outcomes.”
Speaking about the challenges to the widespread adoption of precision nutrition, Dr Terranegra identifies the primary issue as the need for specialised expertise, as effective implementation requires in-depth knowledge.
“While it may not be inherently costly, there is a significant need to train new generations of professionals to ensure its widespread adoption,” she added.

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