Sustainability Issue #1 January 2009

This is printed from sustainability.formas.se, last updated 12/4/2008 8:27:42 AM

Navigation

Change language

Search

Main content

PrintPrint Print all articlesPrint

Questionnaire survey reveals:

Favourable attitude to nutritional genomics

By Jennie Ahlgren

Consumers of food have a favourable attitude to the possibility of having customised dietary advice which, owing to nutritional genomics research, may be on offer in the future. This is shown by several questionnaire surveys.

For many people, good health is an important factor in living a meaningful life. This is probably the factor that is the greatest reason for the widespread favourable attitude which people have to the possibility of having customised dietary advice based on genetic information. The factors "Family" and "Social interaction", and "Health", are the three factors that are most often quoted for a meaningful life.

Willing to have genetic test

More than 2000 randomly chosen individuals in Sweden have replied to a questionnaire about genetic tests and customised dietary advice. The results show a surprisingly favourable attitude to the possibilities which nutritional genomics research may offer in the form of genetic tests and customised dietary advice. Seventy per cent of those asked stated that they would be willing to undergo a genetic test in order to receive customised dietary advice. Two thirds considered that they may also be willing to make use of the techniques to find to what extent they should engage in certain behaviours without risking their health (e.g. smoking and alcohol consumption). Apart from this willingness to subject themselves to a genetic examination, the majority stated that they were also willing to have their children tested. 

Many of the respondents considered that their relations should also have access to the test results if these showed that they also ran a risk of disease. In special circumstances, many would decide to reveal the results even if members of their family expressly stated that they did not want to have any information. 

Doubts can be discerned

Although most were favourable to the possibilities which nutritional genomics research may open up, a number of uncertainties can be discerned. Almost two thirds of the respondents thought there was reason to worry about individual genetic information getting into the wrong hands, and a clear majority thought it would be bad for their mental health to know what diseases they would develop in the future (most of these  would nevertheless be willing to have a test).

Questions similar to those in the survey have also been asked in other studies. In the US a number of studies have been made, and the results of these also indicate interest and a favourable attitude to the use of genetic information for health promotion purposes in the ways that nutritional genomics research may offer.

Author :

Jennie Ahlgren is a postgraduate student in Ethics at Lund University
E-mail: jennie.ahlgren@teol.lu.se

Literature:

International Food Information Council (IFIC) (2007)

"Consumer Attitudes toward Functional Foods/Foods for Health. Executive Summary". Downloaded on 16.11.2007 from http//:www.ific.org/research/upload/IFICExecSum-SINGLE_vF2.pdf 

White, Christy; Meunier, John; SteelFisher, Gillian (2005). "Public Perception of Genomics/Genetic Testing. CGAT Survey". Downloaded on 11.4.2008 from http/:www.pharmaweek.com/Exclusive_Content/11_­4.asp

Responsible for this page: Birgitta Bruzelius

Journal links

Sustainability January 2009

Focus: Food research - model Formas

Food is of key importance in a sustainable society Safety, quality and interplay among consumers, food, market and environment are key concepts for food research supported by the Research Council Formas. Formas' rese... Swedish strategy for food research A Swedish strategic research agenda for food, developed by the business sector, researchers and research funding agencies, was presented last spring. The aim of this... Fodder fish and fish offal into food Marine resources are limited. It should be possible to use the entire fish material as food, consider researchers at Chalmers University of Technology who are develo... Genetic tests for advice on diet? Nutritional genomics may give us knowledge of our metabolism at an entirely new level of precision by clarifying the relationship between our genes, foods and health... Favourable attitude to nutritional genomics Consumers of food have a favourable attitude to the possibility of having customised dietary advice which, owing to nutritional genomics research, may be on offer in... Whole grain foods - why? In America, the UK, Sweden and other countries the authorities recommend that we should eat more whole grain foods. In the media also the cry rings out about more wh... The poison in the apple Pesticide residues are found in about one half of food samples taken in Sweden. Researchers are also finding doses of pesticides in the general population in Sweden.... Be on your guard about well water! There is great variation in the quality of water in individual wells. Bacteria, radon, arsenic, fluoride and manganese often occur. Inorganic arsenic is very toxic, ...

The Interview

Unstable ecosystems challenge society Interdisciplinary structure in the universities, a new economy and, in some places, the renaissance of small scale agriculture, are examples of the changes that are ...

More articles

MSEK 400 for sustainable development Formas has distributed almost MSEK 400 this year. 186 of the ca 1260 applications received by Formas have been granted funds. New research initiative will rescue the ship Vasa The Royal Ship Vasa is one of Sweden's best known and most often visited tourist objectives. The ship and the objects which have been salvaged are a source of knowle... Tempe - a new vegetarian food Tempe can be made of hardy barley and oats. A doctoral thesis at Chalmers University of Technology – Food Science presents a vegetarian food that boosts the uptake o... Drivers influenced by landscape Drivers are influenced by the kind of landscape they are driving through. The environment makes them alter both their driving style and their safety margins. Driving... Reed canary grass can provide energy for 30,000 houses Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is one of the energy crops that is most suitable for agriculture in the north of Sweden. In Västerbotten County alone there ...

In Brief

ENERGY More effective energy in everyday life ETHANOL Pellets better than ethanol FISH Increase in mercury content ANIMALS Changes in animal welfare EEL CRISES Eel fishing cut by half?

Results from research

Humans dictate the breeds of animals How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... The conditions of animals must be improved How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... If it's tasty it costs money How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Landscape under change How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Frogs are scarce these days How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... New threats to our beloved tubers How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... The alpine regions in focus How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... Urban planning has no child perspective How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma... The segregated city generates new segregation How did the research turn out? What were the findings? Researchers themselves report briefly on the research they have undertaken with funding support from the Forma...

People and News

The latest from the field of environmental researchNew appointments, prestigious awards, new research institutes – all the latest from the field of environmental research.
5
MOST READ
articles from this
and past issues
1.Office environment affects health, wellbeing and work 2.The role of microbes in nature 3.Sweden values happy pigs 4.Nanotech in our homes - great opportunities, unknown risks 5.New research initiative will rescue the ship Vasa

Further links

Footer