The approach can help reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer or other disorders. And it might prompt more people to eat a healthy diet -- a step only 20% of people in the U.S. are taking, according to a recent survey.

"One of our problems is one-size-fits-all mentality with nutrition and diets," said Dr. C. Wayne Callaway, an endocrinologist and associate clinical professor of medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Diet plays a significant role in 5 of the 10 major causes of death, including heart disease, stroke and some cancers, he said. For example, a 45-year-old man with high cholesterol and heart disease but with no family history of diabetes should restrict total fat, particularly saturated fat. A 45-year-old woman with the same high cholesterol level and a family history of diabetes might benefit more from reducing weight, by reducing calories overall, and adding exercise, Callaway said.

However, the more sophisticated approach to diet takes more planning than just following nutrition guidelines intended for the average joe.

"A large part of your destiny from diet-related chronic disease is in you hands," said Dr. George Blackburn, the associate director of nutrition at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "People have asked, 'Isn't there one cancer diet for all for breast, colon and prostate?' The answer is no," he said.

The first step in tailoring a diet is knowing your family history of disease, including type of disease and the relative who had it. It's also important to know when the disease was diagnosed. If cancer strikes before 65, it more likely to have a genetic component than if the cancer was diagnosed later in life, Blackburn said. Designing such a diet requires a collaborative effort between patient, doctor, and nutritionist or registered dietitian. "It's my job to decide are we going to focus on soy in this person, are we going to focus on dairy, are we going to focus on fruits and vegetables, and then I hand it over to a properly trained clinical dietitian specialist or nutritionist," Blackburn said. For example, those with a family history of cancer may need to double dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetables, which currently suggests five servings a day for the average person in the U.S. Those with a family history of heart disease, diabetes, gall bladder problems or obesity need to focus on lowering fat, increasing fiber, cutting down on sugar and increasing exercise. Such dietary changes are not simple, and could take up to four years to fully implement, Blackburn said. "It often takes two to give up the old habits," he said.

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