The health impact of food includes: science based nutrition, nutrigenomics and medical research.
Areas of focus for health impacts are: genetics, genomics, and biotechnology which are used for the selection of beneficial plant and animal characteristics. These characteristics include production of products and ingredients such as bioactive compounds. The compounds and or ingredients in turn are used in the formulation and development of enhanced food products.
An important aspect of food for health is consumer behaviour. Five aspects of consumer behaviour that must be addressed are: 1) policy and education, 2) activity and exercise, 3) labeling and advertising, 4) culture and 5) consumer choices.
Government policy impacts food for health through Intellectual Property, commercialization, regulations on novel products, ingredients regulations and food safety, food labeling and health claims and health promotion.
The economy impacts food for health through: new companies, the biotechnology industry, development of highly qualified personnel, farmers and farm organizations, healthy crops and the rural economy.