Weaver Connie M
Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Adv Nutr. 2014 May 14;5(3):306S-11S. doi: 10.3945/an.113.005124. Print 2014 May.
Bioactive compounds in foods have been gaining interest, and processes to consider them for public health recommendations are being discussed. However, the evidence base is difficult to assemble. It is difficult to demonstrate causality, and there often is not a single compound-single effect relation. Furthermore, health benefits may be due to metabolites produced by the host or gut microbiome rather than the food constituent per se. Properties that can be measured in a food may not translate to in vivo health effects. Compounds that are being pursued may increase gut microbial diversity, improve endothelial function, improve cognitive function, reduce bone loss, and so forth. A new type of bioactive component is emerging from epigenetic modifications by our diet, including microRNA transfer from our diet, which can regulate expression of human genes. Policy processes are needed to establish the level of evidence needed to determine dietary advice and policy recommendations and to set research agendas.
食品中的生物活性化合物越来越受到关注，人们正在讨论将其纳入公共卫生建议的相关流程。然而，证据基础难以汇集。很难证明因果关系，而且通常不存在单一化合物-单一效应的关系。此外，健康益处可能归因于宿主或肠道微生物群产生的代谢产物，而非食物成分本身。在食物中可测量的特性可能无法转化为体内健康效应。正在研究的化合物可能会增加肠道微生物多样性、改善内皮功能、改善认知功能、减少骨质流失等等。我们的饮食通过表观遗传修饰正在产生一种新型生物活性成分，包括饮食中的微小RNA转移，它可以调节人类基因的表达。需要政策流程来确定制定饮食建议和政策推荐所需的证据水平，并设定研究议程。
