Longitudinal Monitoring of Physiological, Psychological and Molecular Responses to Different Dietary Interventions: A Precision Health Approach
Creators: Yahya Rayat, Dorsa
Publisher: name: University of Alberta Library
Year: 2024

<p>Diet and lifestyle choices are critical in shaping overall health, especially as chronic diseases become more widespread. With growing recognition of individual differences in responses to dietary interventions, personalized healthcare approaches are gaining importance. Precision nutrition (PN) focuses on tailoring dietary advice based on a person’s unique needs, physiology, and molecular characteristics. However, PN still faces challenges in fully realizing its potential. By integrating wearable devices for physiological measurements, psychological testing, and advanced omics techniques, such as metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, and microbiomics, PN could deliver more precise and actionable guidance.<br>
The primary aim of this thesis was to explore the practicality of using wearable devices, psychological testing, and omics methods to better understand the molecular, psychological, and physiological impacts of different diets. Secondary objectives included assessing the practicality of N-of-1 self-monitoring and biosample self-collection for PN studies, examining the costs involved, evaluating the usefulness of daily mental and physical performance monitoring, and determining the most effective data analysis techniques for interpreting N-of-1 dietary studies. To meet these goals, the study implemented a detailed methodology combining multiple monitoring and testing systems with controlled dietary interventions. Four diets, including Fast Food Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Ketogenic Diet, and Regular Diet, were followed for two weeks, with molecular-level omics analyses, including metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, and gut microbiome profiling, conducted using blood, fecal, and urine samples. Additionally, wearable devices tracked blood glucose, body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, alongside monitoring of physical activity and psychological test data throughout the study.<br>
The findings revealed a close relationship between diet, physiological health, psychological health, the gut microbiome, and molecular outcomes like proteomics and metabolomics. Dietary shifts led to noticeable differences in omic results within a short time, highlighting the value of these methods in evaluating diet and lifestyle effects on health. By combining wearable data with omics measurements, the study identified both expected and surprising connections, emphasizing the potential of this integrated approach for PN interventions. The study also confirmed the viability of N-of-1 self-monitoring and biosample self-collection, with recent advancements in at-home collection kits making the process more accessible. PN self-monitoring was found to be cost-effective, with initial investments in devices and kits offset by the long-term benefits of personalized health insights. Daily tracking of mental and physical performance offered additional health insights, complementing physiological data. Lastly, quantitative omics data, especially metabolomics, played a key role in analyzing N-of-1 studies, particularly in identifying metabolic biomarkers of dietary response, while also emphasizing the need for robust analytical methods to handle complex datasets.</p>