Nutrition and genetic susceptibility to common diseases

Genetic factors play a role in chronic disease and conditions such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and obesity. Individual responses to nutritional factors involved in such conditions vary depending upon a person's genetic makeup. The role of individual genes is best understood for the hyperlipidemias that predispose to coronary heart disease. Until more and better information on gene-nutritional interactions is available, general populationwide recommendations regarding a prudent diet appear reasonable. At the same time, high risk screening for certain conditions such as the hyperlipidemias is appropriate.