Obesity, the composition of the diet, and the interactive influence of an individual’s genetic make-up (nutrigenetics) are recognised as being centrally involved in both the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), metabolic syndrome and diabetes.<\/p>\n
Within the ICMR a large amount of research is ongoing which is investigating the impact of diet, foods and nutrients on many aspects of the cardiovascular phenotype, including lipoprotein metabolism, insulin resistance and sensitivity, inflammation and vascular function and reactivity. We are involved with some of the largest human intervention studies conducted to date to investigate the impact of diet, particularly fats and carbohydrate, and genotype on insulin sensitivity and other metabolic CVD risk factors. Data from these studies has contributed to the evidence base for public health policy development.<\/p>\n
Nutrigenetics represents a core interest. The physiological and molecular mechanisms responsible for the influence of common gene variants on the cardiovascular phenotype and the impact of genotype on responsiveness to dietary change are investigated in large prospective cohort and detailed intervention studies.<\/p>\n
Expertise in chronic and postprandial randomised human intervention studies is used to examine physiological effects of dietary change, in combination with a range of cell culture approaches to investigate molecular mechanisms. We take a food chain approach to health promotion and disease prevention by improvements in population diets, working closely with our Animal Nutrition and Plant Science colleagues to develop food products with enhanced composition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"