FSA response to the N03 review

The N03 research programme led to the formation of the N12 Diet and Colonic Health research programme, which focuses on the role of nutrition in preventing colorectal cancer using human subjects or human tissue culture. The initial priority for this programme is to develop reliable diet-related intermediate biomarkers for colorectal cancer. Once these techniques have been established the programme priority will be to investigate the impact of dietary constituents on colorectal cancer risk.

The review highlighted the need to assess the effects of the amount and composition of dietary carbohydrate on insulin sensitivity and CVD risk. The reciprocal of this – the effect of the amount and composition of dietary fat on insulin sensitivity and CVD risk – was highlighted as an important area for future research at a FSA monounsaturated fatty acid workshop. Research requirements are in preparation.

The modification of the N02 research programme remit to include the effects of plant foods, and their constituents, on cardiovascular health will allow for the effects of plant components, such as carbohydrate, to be investigated. This programme will focus on foods, but will also compare the effects of foods with plant food constituents on cardiovascular disease risk and aim to establish whether dose response relationships exist.