What is Phenome?

• The human phenome refers to the comprehensive set of observable physical and biochemical traits, behaviours, and characteristics exhibited by an individual as influenced by genetics, environment, and lifestyle.
• It encompasses a wide range of attributes, including but not limited to:

1. Physical characteristics such as height, weight, eye colour, hair colour, facial features, and body shape.
2. Biological functions and processes like metabolism, hormone levels, blood pressure, and immune response.
3. Behavioral traits include personality traits, cognitive abilities, temperament, and mental health conditions.
4. Disease susceptibility and health outcomes, such as the presence or absence of genetic disorders, chronic illnesses, and response to medical treatments.
5. Environmental factors such as diet, exercise habits, exposure to toxins, socioeconomic status, and cultural influences.

PYQ:

[2021] “Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse.

[2018] Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain.

[2011] Aspartame is an artificial sweetener sold in the market. It consists of amino acids and provides calories like other amino acids. Yet, it is used as a low-calorie sweetening agent in food items. What is the basis of this use?

(a) Aspartame is as sweet as table sugar, but unlike table sugar, it is not readily oxidized in human body due to the lack of requisite enzymes.

(b) When aspartame is used in food processing, the sweet taste remains, but it becomes resistant to oxidation.

(c) Aspartame is as sweet as sugar, but after ingestion into the body, it is converted into metabolites that yield no calories.

(d) Aspartame is several times sweeter than table sugar, hence food items made with small quantities of aspartame yield fewer calories on oxidation.