What is personalised nutrition and does it work?

Fad diets have trended in and out of fashion for as long as people have had body goals. We’ve been through carbo-loading and cutting carbs; fat free and high fat; vegan and carnivore. Now, there’s personalised nutrition – the idea that there’s no one diet, sensible or otherwise, that works for everyone.

What is personalised nutrition?

Personalised nutrition is not a diet in the traditional sense. There’s no end date and it’s not about cutting out certain foods or putting foods into “good” or “bad” categories. Rather, it’s about finding what works for you.

“Personalised or precision nutrition is a method of creating dietary meal plans tailored to an individual’s specific needs and disease conditions. No two plans can be the same as each individual is different to the next,” explains Shaszia Alli, a registered dietician (SA) in Pretoria.

For the average person who’s accustomed to general dietary guidelines, this may seem like a novel approach to nutrition. For dieticians, however, it’s science.

“As a registered dietician, I understand that every individual is unique, from genetics and environment to lifestyle, health conditions and dietary preferences. A one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition does not account for these differences,” says Kirby Hendricks, a registered dietician (SA) in Cape Town. “By tailoring dietary strategies to each person, we can optimise health outcomes, improve well-being, and create long-term, achievable changes.”

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How does personalised nutrition work?

There are numerous factors that influence your personalised nutrition plan, says Alli.

Genes: Different gene combinations can make you more or less likely to respond to certain foods in certain ways. For example, if you’re genetically predisposed to lactose intolerance, you’re more likely to be sensitive to dairy products.

Microbiome: This is the collection of good bacteria that live in your gut; it’s unique to every person.

Eating habits: Do you prefer eating three bigger meals a day or are you a grazer? Do you struggle to eat in the mornings? These and other habits will influence your plan.

Physical activity: How active you are affects your nutritional needs – whether you’re setting time aside to work out or always on your feet.

Preferences: If you’re not an olive person, for instance, there’s no point including olives in your plan.

Diet-related requirements: Are you vegetarian? Are there certain foods you don’t eat or that don’t agree with you?

Cultural dietary restrictions: For example, religious practices.

Knowledge: How clued up are you around things such as reading food labels and understanding portion sizes?

Socioeconomic status: What does your budget allow?

“All these factors are essential to consider when creating a personalised nutrition plan,” says Alli. “It shows the complexity of the process and the level of individualisation, which makes it unique to each individual.”

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Benefits of personalising your nutrition plan

Unlike fad diets, which can often be unsustainable and even unhealthy, there are no real downsides to personalised nutrition. However, you have to be willing to make a lasting change. “Sustainable, long-term change happens through small daily habits, not quick fixes,” says Hendricks.

If you’re willing to commit, the benefits can be enormous. “A personalised approach ensures that nutritional strategies are tailored to address deficiencies, support metabolic health, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation and optimise overall well-being,” she says.

(Read more on how to include anti-inflammatory foods into your diet here)

General healthy guidelines vs personalised nutrition

Taking a personal approach to nutrition does not mean the general guidelines around healthy eating no longer apply – it’s just going deeper.

“General guidelines are there as a guide – they are a general recommendation for the entire public without considering all factors that a personal consultation would take into account,” says Alli. “If an individual has to ask for a general value that is acceptable for that particular nutrient, the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) are the best guides.”

So, if you’re not working with a dietician and want to know how much protein to eat in a day, for example, keep looking at the RDAs. And don’t take nutrition advice from questionable sources such as unqualified influencers on social media.

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How to create a personalised nutrition plan

You can learn a lot from credible books, blogs and podcasts, but nutrition is a complex science. “Online quizzes and automated tools can be a fun starting point and may provide general guidance, but they lack the depth of a professional assessment,” says Hendricks. “These tools cannot account for individual medical history, biochemical data, lifestyle factors or underlying health conditions, all of which play a crucial role in nutrition. A registered dietician uses evidence-based methods to create a truly personalised approach that aligns with your specific needs.”

A personalised nutrition consultation with Hendricks would typically include:

Body composition: Measuring your body fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, visceral fat levels, water balance and bone mass. “This helps in setting realistic goals and tracking progress over time,” she says.

Biochemical assessment: This may include blood tests, followed by a session in which you’ll go through the results together in detail.

Clinical assessment: List any symptoms you’re experiencing, such as an upset tummy, hormonal fluctuations, sinus issues, sleep patterns and even pain – you may be surprised how many aspects of your health can be influenced by what you eat and drink.

Dietary assessment: This looks at how you eat now, how you should be eating, and what kinds of changes are realistic for you. Keeping a food diary for a few days ahead of your consultation can be helpful.

Is personalised nutrition for you?

If you have specific goals you’re working towards, suffer from chronic health conditions, have food sensitivities or just can’t seem to find a diet that works for you, it’s time to get personal.

“Instead of following generic diet trends, personalised nutrition provides realistic, evidence-based recommendations that fit seamlessly into a person's lifestyle,” says Hendricks. “With individualised guidance, patients gain a better understanding of their body's needs, making it easier to achieve and maintain their health goals.”

She says personalised nutrition is so much more than a hashtag. “It isn't just a trend; it’s the future of health and wellness.”