Nutrition scientists utilize nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics to predict, assess, and analyze the influence of nutritional factors on gene expression as well as to understand how genes and nutritional factors interact and contribute to disease generally. There is a need, however, to integrate new genetic and genomic research information into nutrition research.

The Institute of Medicine convened a two-day workshop in June 2006 that featured invited presentations from and discussions with nutritional scientists and other researchers on ways that genomics can inform nutrition research and the potential for nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics to expand knowledge and understanding in nutritional science and relationships between nutrients, diet, and the prevention and control of chronic disease.