Globally, suboptimal dietary habits remain to be a major public health problem, and related metabolic diseases and health inequalities are on the rise. Our research aims to comprehensively understand genetic and environmental factors related to diet and dietary behavior by integrating various methodologies from the bio- and socio-fields. The expected timeline for this project is 3 years. Despite the emphasis on interdisciplinary research and the advancement of data science, the interaction between genetics and the social environment remains an area that still requires practical research. Nevertheless, there is potential to enhance understanding of complex biological phenomena and socio-environmental factors. The interaction between genetic differences and environmental factors in epigenetics can partially explain behavioral differences between individuals. It may also be relevant to all areas of social science affected by individual differences. Our team seeks to uncover genetic factors explaining human dietary intake and behaviors, confirm their causal relationships with social, physical, and mental health, and explore the socio-environmental factors influencing the relationship between genes, phenotypes, and health outcomes using novel methods like multilevel analysis. Subsequently, by understanding the mechanisms, we plan to construct a socio-genetics-epigenetics network model that can address global public health issues and social problems exacerbated by deteriorating dietary patterns. These findings can provide scientific evidence for health policy and contribute to the design of community programs that can actually modify health behaviors and be applied to diverse communities.
