Nutrigenomics in public health nutrition: short-term perspectives.

Knowledge of the human genome is helping us better understand nutrition. The nutrition-health relationship depends on the adaptive capacity of genes and their functioning with the diet consumed. The greater the efficiency of the system, the lower the metabolic wear suffered. Several epidemiological studies have reported that early-life metabolic imprinting occurs in Man. Both in the uterus and during the first years of life, under and overfed mother-child units imprint gene changes that lead to chronic metabolic problems in later life. Many other mechanisms can modify gene performance, such as gene silencing, gene compensation by a vitamin or a bioactive phytochemical, or simply DNA multiplication during cell reproduction and polyploidisation. The new area of science related to the lateral transfer of recombinant genes is opening new horizons to the nutritional sciences changing the nutritional value or the organoleptic characteristics of food, or even changing genes in persons at risk of chronic disease. Many recent studies provide details about the kinds of diet, nutrients and other compounds that are the best for Man; biotechnology is becoming an instrument enabling food to be offered in the best of conditions.

Sale of street food in Latin America. The Mexican case: joy or jeopardy?

Have you ever visited a public market in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru or Brazil? Have you ever stopped to eat delicious Mayan-style pork tacos, turnovers filled with corn fungus or squash flower, octopus stuffed crepes, crab, cassava, 'alcapurrias' or grasshoppers with lime juice and chili, agave worms or a 'come back to life' seafood cocktail? If you have not, you have been missing a large part of the Mexican, Guatemalan, Panamanian, Colombian, Venezuelan, Peruvian and Brazilian folklore, taste, smell and color. And if you have visited these countries, it will be easier for you to understand the information in this chapter.

[Investigation needs on carotenoids in Latin America]. / Necesidades de investigación en carotenoides en América Latina.

Many recent papers show the important role of bioactive phytochemicals to maintain a good health status. Among them the carotenoids are the best known. About 637 have been described and possibly 70 of them could have an important role in human health, 16 have been found in human brain in high amounts. Most of the studies have found relations between the carotenoids and chronic non-communicable diseases like several types of cancer, atherogenic disease and some degenerative pathology of the eye. This relation is mediated by genes and age. Studies of carotenoids are of scientific and economic interest for Latin America as many tropical products are high sources of these compounds. Therefore the first task is to analyze them and iniciate some evaluation on its metabolic availability. A coordinated regional work is proposed, in which 40 or 50 fruits and vegetables are analyzed in terms of the seven carotenoids most related to human health. At the same time it will be important to start epidemiological studies that will compare groups with different levels of consumption of fruits and vegetables and make chronic disease risk analysis. In some countries of the Latin American region, with the support of FAO and INFOODS, some courses and meetings are taking place so that in a short time period the carotenoid composition of the important regional foods will be completed and a carotenoid regional food composition table be published.

Diet that prevents cancer: recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer Research.

The current epidemiological transition in less developed countries is resulting in an epidemic of chronic diseases, with cancer being the second most common cause of mortality. The evidence linking diet to the development of cancer is based largely on epidemiological analysis of the relationships of the frequency of different cancers to data on food consumption. Cohort results have made clearer the link between diet and cancer, as have data on a number of biological mechanisms. Based on the available data, recommendations on dietary practices that may prevent cancer have been published recently by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund. Key recommendations are: diet should be based on plant products; 400 g of vegetables and fruits, to provide more than 10% of energy, should be consumed daily; cereals, legumes and tubers should provide at least 50% of energy, and sugars less than 10%; no more than 80 g of meat should be consumed, preferably fish or poultry, and limited amounts that are cured or smoked; fat intake should be limited to no more than 30% of energy, with a predominance of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated forms; total salt consumption should be less than 6 g; perishable foods should be kept frozen or refrigerated and consumed promptly; foods should be cooked at low temperatures, better to be boiled or steamed rather than fried or grilled; alcohol should not exceed 2 drinks a day. In addition to these dietary guidelines, cancer prevention may be achieved by not smoking, by avoiding excess weight, and by increasing physical activity, including half an hour of exercise and 4 hr not resting in a chair or bed.