Experts on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have supported the recording of people’s genetic make-up for the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), following calls by FSA board members for such data.
Committee chairman Alan Jackson, professor of human nutrition in the School of Medicine at the University of Southampton said: “My sense is that the more information we have, the better.” However, he stressed that SACN had not formerly developed a position on the collection of DNA data as part of the NDNS.
Professor Christine Williams, head of the School of Biosciences and professor of human nutrition at the University of Reading said: “The gathering of [DNA] data does not differ from any other.” The main issue, she added, was to develop “clear strategies” of what to do when specific gene types that raise the risk of contracting, for example, Alzheimer’s or cardiovascular disease were identified. “These are some of the challenges we face.”
Dr Paul Haggarty, senior research scientist at the Rowett Research Institute, said “the advantages were enormous” of collecting DNA data. He added there were no ethical obstacles to collecting such personal information as long as the anonymity of individuals was ensured. “It would be extremely valuable to have this information,” he added. “There are great advantages and, if done properly, I see no problems.”
However, Professor Ann Prentice, director of Medical Research Council (MRC)’s human nutrition research, said one limitation of such data could be the small sample size planned for the NDNS. Just 1,000 individuals are expected to be surveyed initially each year, compared with about 500,000 planned under the UK Biobank medical research initiative which is just starting.
UK Biobank, which has the support of MRC, aims to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of serious and life-threatening illnesses including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis and forms of dementia.