Nutrition and Genomics Laboratory, Jean Meyer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2012;108:461-89. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-398397-8.00018-6.
Since the expansion of modern humans (Homo sapiens) from Africa to the rest of the world between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago, the human genome has been shaped not only by demographic history but also by adaptation to local environments, including regional climate, landscape, food sources, culture, and pathogens. Genetic differences among populations interact with environmental factors, such as diet and lifestyle, leading to differences in nutrient metabolism, which translate into differences in susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Individuals from different populations sharing the same environments can exhibit differences in disease risk, as do individuals from the same population living in various regions of the globe. Therefore, it is important to understand how adaptive genetic variations interact with environments to influence health. This knowledge will provide a broad foundation for designing experiments and approaches in nutrigenomics research and strengthening the knowledge base for dietary recommendations for disease prevention. The objectives of this chapter are to (1) understand the methodology employed in examining adaptive genetic variation across populations, (2) establish the importance of adaptive genetic variation to human health, and (3) discuss the implications for nutrigenomics research and disease prevention.
自 5 万至 10 万年前现代人类（智人）从非洲扩张到世界其他地区以来，人类基因组不仅受到人口历史的影响，还受到对当地环境的适应影响，包括区域气候、景观、食物来源、文化和病原体。种群之间的遗传差异与饮食和生活方式等环境因素相互作用，导致营养代谢的差异，进而导致对各种疾病易感性的差异。来自不同种群的共享相同环境的个体可能表现出疾病风险的差异，来自全球不同地区的同一人群的个体也是如此。因此，了解适应性遗传变异如何与环境相互作用以影响健康非常重要。这一知识将为设计实验和方法提供广泛的基础，用于研究营养基因组学，并加强针对疾病预防的饮食建议的知识库。本章的目标是：(1)了解跨人群研究适应性遗传变异所采用的方法；(2)确立适应性遗传变异对人类健康的重要性；(3)讨论对营养基因组学研究和疾病预防的影响。
