Smartfood Program

Epidemiological and experimental evidences demonstrate that only a small proportion of cancers are inherited; environmental factors are the most important cause of genetic modification. These factors include food poisons such as mycotoxins or alcohol as well as smoking, infectious agents, radiation, drugs, industrial chemicals and pollutants. Thus, habits (including a healthy diet) aimed to minimize the exposure to these carcinogens are known to protect from tumorigenic mutations. More recently some dietary patterns and physical activity have been demonstrated to prevent cancer and other aging associated disease, by altering the functions of specific genes (belonging to the longevity genetic pathways) and inhibiting fat accumulation, which increases cancer risk. It means that a healthy environment can stop cancer before it starts. In this context, nutrition represents an extraordinary tool to prevent cancer and other aging associated disease.

The aim of our Translational Research Program Smartfood is to improve nutrition at different levels, taking advantage of our already existing network.

The potential benefits of the Program include: to ameliorate the understanding on the connection between diet and lifespan; to motivate a positive behaviour change; to improve the awareness of major risk factors; to promote health and encourage an active healthy ageing; to effectively teach primary prevention strategies; to reduce health care costs; to clarify the mechanisms involved in disease susceptibility.