Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition

Ahlgren, Jennie; Nordgren, Anders; Perrudin, Marie; Ronteltap, Amber; Savigny, Jean; van Trijp, Hans; Nordström, Karin; Görman, Ulf

doi:10.21256/zhaw-21821

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21821

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition
Authors:	Ahlgren, Jennie Nordgren, Anders Perrudin, Marie Ronteltap, Amber Savigny, Jean van Trijp, Hans Nordström, Karin Görman, Ulf
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.21256/zhaw-21821
Published in:	Genes & Nutrition
Volume(Issue):	8
Issue:	4
Page(s):	349
Pages to:	355
Issue Date:	2013
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	BioMed Central
ISSN:	1865-3499 1865-3499
Language:	English
Subjects:	Personalised nutrition; Ethics; Consumer; Internet; Direct-to-consumer; Nutrigenomic tests; Attitudes; Legal regulation
Subject (DDC):	613.2: Dietetics
Abstract:	Consumers often have a positive attitude to the option of receiving personalized nutrition advice based upon genetic testing, since the prospect of enhancing or maintaining one’s health can be perceived as empowering. Current direct-to-consumer services over the Internet, however, suffer from a questionable level of truthfulness and consumer protection, in addition to an imbalance between far-reaching promises and contrasting disclaimers. Psychological and behavioral studies indicate that consumer acceptance of a new technology is primarily explained by the end user’s rational and emotional interpretation as well as moral beliefs. Results from such studies indicate that personalized nutrition must create true value for the consumer. Also, the freedom to choose is crucial for consumer acceptance. From an ethical point of view, consumer protection is crucial, and caution must be exercised when putting nutrigenomic-based tests and advice services on the market. Current Internet offerings appear to reveal a need to further guaranty legal certainty by ensuring privacy, consumer protection and safety. Personalized nutrition services are on the borderline between nutrition and medicine. Current regulation of this area is incomplete and undergoing development. This situation entails the necessity for carefully assessing and developing existing rules that safeguard fundamental rights and data protection while taking into account the sensitivity of data, the risks posed by each step in their processing, and sufficient guarantees for consumers against potential misuse.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/21821
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	School of Health Sciences
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Public Health (IPH)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit

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Ahlgren, J., Nordgren, A., Perrudin, M., Ronteltap, A., Savigny, J., van Trijp, H., Nordström, K., & Görman, U. (2013). Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition. Genes & Nutrition, 8(4), 349–355. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21821

Ahlgren, J. et al. (2013) ‘Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition’, Genes & Nutrition, 8(4), pp. 349–355. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21821.

J. Ahlgren et al., “Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition,” Genes & Nutrition, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 349–355, 2013, doi: 10.21256/zhaw-21821.

AHLGREN, Jennie, Anders NORDGREN, Marie PERRUDIN, Amber RONTELTAP, Jean SAVIGNY, Hans VAN TRIJP, Karin NORDSTRÖM und Ulf GÖRMAN, 2013. Consumers on the internet : ethical and legal aspects of commercialization of personalized nutrition. Genes & Nutrition. 2013. Bd. 8, Nr. 4, S. 349–355. DOI 10.21256/zhaw-21821

Ahlgren, Jennie, Anders Nordgren, Marie Perrudin, Amber Ronteltap, Jean Savigny, Hans van Trijp, Karin Nordström, and Ulf Görman. 2013. “Consumers on the Internet : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Commercialization of Personalized Nutrition.” Genes & Nutrition 8 (4): 349–55. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21821.

Ahlgren, Jennie, et al. “Consumers on the Internet : Ethical and Legal Aspects of Commercialization of Personalized Nutrition.” Genes & Nutrition, vol. 8, no. 4, 2013, pp. 349–55, https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-21821.