Food is one of the basic necessities of life, yet nutrition has only relatively recently been recognised as one of the most important determinants of individual and public health. A full understanding of this multi-faceted subject area requires an integrated approach, from molecular to societal level.

Essentials of Human Nutrition provides a complete and student-friendly introduction to the field for those embarking on courses in nutrition, or related subjects, for the first time. Written by an international team of experts, every chapter is carefully edited to give consistently clear and coherent explanations of all of the essential principles of nutrition.

The physiological and biochemical processes involved in nourishment are discussed first, before the text moves on to consider the different effects of diet and changing nutritional requirements at different life stages. The book concludes by illustrating how nutritional principles are applied in different practical contexts, from sports nutrition to food in hospitals.

Online Resource Centre:

Student Resources:
Forest plot: forest plot discussed in Chapter 24 'Nutrition and Cancer', showing the results of a meta-analysis of observational studies of the relationship between waist circumference and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Topical updates: periodic updates from the editors on the debate surrounding topical subjects.
Weblinks: useful weblinks to journal articles cited in the book.

Lecturer Resources:
Figures from the book: available to download for use in lectures.

Jim Mann, University of Otago, New Zealand,Stewart Truswell, The University of Sydney, Australia

Part 1: Introducing Human Nutrition
1. Introduction
Part 2: Energy and macronutrients
2. Carbohydrates
3. Lipids
4. Protein
5. Energy
6. Alcohol
Part 3:Organic and inorganic essential nutrients
7. Water, electrolytes & acid-base balance
8. Major minerals: Ca & Mg
9. Iron
10. Trace elements
11. Vitamin A & carotenoids
12. B Vitamins
13. Vitamins C & E
14. Vitamins D & K
15. Other biologically active substances in plant foods
16. Genes, nutrition & disease risk
Part 4: Foods
17. Food groups
18. Functional foods and health claims
19. Food toxicity and safety
Part 5: Nutrition related disorders
20. Overweight and obesity
21. Protein-energy malnutrition
22. Nutritional crises
23. Cadiovascular diseases
24. Nutrition and cancer
25. Diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome
26. Eating disorders
Part 5: Nutritional assessment
27. Food analysis
28. Dietary assessment
29. Assessment of nutritional status and biomarkers
Part 6: Life stages
30. Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and lactation
31. Feeding infants and toddlers
32. Nutrition for children and adolescents
33. Nutrition and ageing
Part 7: Changing food habits
34. Food habits
35. Nutritional recommendations for the general population
36. Implementing dietary recommendations
37. Dietary patterns
38. Food systems: challenges and the way forward
39. Nutrition and the environment: sustainable diets
Part 8: Applications
40. Sports nutrition
41. Nutritional consequences of poverty and food insecurity in developed countries
42. Food in hospitals
43. Nutritional support for hospital patients