Personalised dietary advice for human and planetary health
In this multidisciplinary consortium, scientists from Wageningen University & Research, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Utrecht University collaborate with partners from food industry (Hero), biotech (Clear.bio), and foodtech (Verdi Food) to develop and test personalized dietary advice for reduction of the post-meal glucose response.
Fifty percent of Dutch adults has overweight or obesity, which increases their risk of developing various chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. An estimated 1.1 million Dutch adults has T2DM, and another 1.4 million has prediabetes, a precursor of T2DM. Unhealthy diets are an important cause of such chronic diseases. Importantly, our current diet does not only harm human health, it also poses a major threat to planetary health due to its significant environmental impact. Hence, there is an urgent need for smart strategies to promote and facilitate healthier and more sustainable dietary choices to improve human and planetary health.
In this project, we will investigate what environmentally sustainable diet best suits an individual for improving personal health and well-being both short and long-term. Various landmark studies have shown that post-meal glucose responses to identical foods are meals differ between individuals. Interestingly, the variability in individual post-meal glucose responses also seems to be highly different between foods. This project aims to identify foods that elicit either consistent or variable glucose responses between individuals and investigate personal determinants of these responses. We will develop an algorithm for the prediction of individual glucose responses, and test the effectiveness of personalized dietary advice based on these findings on cardiometabolic health, vitality and well-being, and diet-related environmental impact.
The scientific knowledge generated by this project can be used to develop smart tools for personalized dietary advice to promote healthier and more sustainable diets among Dutch consumers.
