From individuals to groups: a review of the meaning of ‘personalized’ in nutrigenomics

Personalization is a major issue in contemporary nutrition science, especially in the field of nutrigenomics. In this paper we argue that in the field, two meanings of personalization coexist. Agenda-setting sources conceptualize personalization different from nutrigenomic practitioners. Personalization as individualization and personalization as categorization, respectively, both serve their purpose in the advancement of nutrigenomic practice. We argue that both conceptualizations influence one another but will not result in consensus anytime soon. However, eventually the trend in personalized nutrition will head towards the creation of categories – a trend with its own, unique, ethical agenda.