毎日一定以上の野菜・果物の摂取を奨励する呼びかけが浸透する一方で、肥満や食物アレルギー、摂食障害などの問題も絶えない現代。300万年前に遡る人と食物との係わりから、好き嫌いに係わる遺伝子、基本的な栄養素、エネルギー摂取と運動のバランス、栄養過多・不良、栄養補助食品の安全性、食料安全保障問題まで、幅広く読者を啓蒙します。(cf. Food, #366; Food and Nutrition: What Everyone Needs to Know)
  

• A short account of the basic principles of human nutrition
• Considers the type of nutrition required for a healthy diet
• Explores the topic of over- and under-nutrition in relation to issues of obesity and malnutrition
• Looks at the usefulness and safety of vitamins, minerals, and food supplements
• Includes a glosary of the key terms

 
Nutrition is a topic of wide interest and importance. In spite of growing understanding of the underlying biochemistry, and health campaigns such as 'five-a-day', increasing obesity and reported food allergies and eating disorders, as well as the widely advertised 'supposed' benefits of food supplements mean that a clear explanation of the basic principles of a healthy diet are vital. 

In this Very Short Introduction, David Bender explains the basic elements of food, the balance between energy intake and exercise, the problems of over- and under-nutrition, and raises the question of safety of nutritional supplements.