Nutrigenetic research examines the effects of inter-individual differences in genotype on responses to nutrients and other
food components, in the context of health and of nutrient requirements. A practical application of nutrigenetics is the use of
personal genetic information to guide recommendations for dietary choices that are more efficacious at the individual or
genetic subgroup level relative to generic dietary advice. Nutrigenetics is unregulated, with no defined standards, beyond
some commercially adopted codes of practice. Only a few official nutrition-related professional bodies have embraced the
subject, and, consequently, there is a lack of educational resources or guidance for implementation of the outcomes of
nutrigenetic research. To avoid misuse and to protect the public, personalised nutrigenetic advice and information should
be based on clear evidence of validity grounded in a careful and defensible interpretation of outcomes from nutrigenetic
research studies. Evidence requirements are clearly stated and assessed within the context of state-of-the-art ‘evidence-based
nutrition’. We have developed and present here a draft framework that can be used to assess the strength of the evidence
for scientific validity of nutrigenetic knowledge and whether ‘actionable’. In addition, we propose that this framework be
used as the basis for developing transparent and scientifically sound advice to the public based on nutrigenetic tests. We
feel that although this area is still in its infancy, minimal guidelines are required. Though these guidelines are based on semiquantitative data, they should stimulate debate on their utility. This framework will be revised biennially, as knowledge on
the subject increases.

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• Proposed guidelines to evaluate scientific validity and evidence for genotype-based dietary advice