Exploration of changing human nutrition from evolutionary and social perspectives and its influence on health and disease, past and present.

Infectious diseases are an important cause of malnutrition. Recurrent infections increase the risk of malnutrition while poor nutritional status results in lowered immune status and predisposes to infectious disease thus propagating the vicious cycle of infection and malnutrition. The nutrition-infection-immunity axis is crucial for both developed and developing countries and is now a central feature of many nutrition and infectious disease courses. Bringing together nutrition and immunology, "Nutrition, Immunity and Infections" covers the topic in an accessible format for all studen.

Both nutrition deficiency and overnutrition can have a significant effect on the risk of infection. Nutrition, Immunity, and Infection focuses on the influence of diet on the immune system and how altering one’s diet helps prevent and treat infections and chronic diseases. This book reviews basic immunology and discusses changes in immune function throughout the life course. It features comprehensive chapters on obesity and the role of immune cells in adipose tissue; undernutrition and malnutrition; infant immune maturation; pre- and probiotics; mechanisms of immune regulation by various vitamins and minerals; nutrition and the aging immune system; nutrition interactions with environmental stress; and immunity in the global health arena. Nutrition, Immunity, and Infection describes the various roles of nutrients and other food constituents on immune function, host defense, and resistance to infection. It describes the impact of infection on nutritional status through a translational approach. Chapters bring together molecular, cellular, and experimental studies alongside human trials so that readers can assess both the evidence for the effects of the food component being discussed and the mechanisms underlying those effects. The impact of specific conditions including obesity, anorexia nervosa, and HIV infection is also considered. Chapter authors are experts in nutrition, immunity, and infection from all around the globe, including Europe, Australia, Brazil, India, and the United States. This book is a valuable resource for nutrition scientists, food scientists, dietitians, health practitioners, and students interested in nutrition and immunity.

The third volume of Advances in Nutritional Research continues the precedent set in previous volumes of providing authoritative reviews on the current state of knowledge with respect to major topics of ongoing nutritional research. This series is designed to be of value to investigators engaged in fundamental research as well as to those involved in its application to problems in human and animal nutrition. This volume contains three chapters on recent developments in research on inorganic elements, including a review, by F. H. Nielsen, of the evidence for a requirement for additional trace elements; a conspectus, by C. E. Casey and K. M. Hambidge, on the occurrence of trace element deficiencies in man; and a description, by M. Janghorbani and V. R. Young, of new methods of assessing the bioavailability of minerals in the diet. There are also three chapters on current topics of lipid research. One (by F. D. Sauer) is devoted to the cardiopathic effects of certain dietary monoenoic fatty acids, another (by C. Galli) to the influence of diet on prostaglandin synthesis, and the third (by H. 0. Bang and J. Dyerberg) to an analysis of the role of the unusual polyunsaturated fatty acids found in marine oils in the prevention of ischemic heart disease.

This text provides a review of the roles of specific nutrients in maintaining the immune response and host protection against infection. It also considers the influence of various factors, such as exercise and ageing, on the interaction between nutrition and immune function.

Every aspect of immune function and host defense is dependent upon a proper supply and balance of nutrients. Severe malnutrition can cause significant alteration in immune response, but even subclinical deficits may be associated with an impaired immune response, and an increased risk of infection. Infectious diseases have accounted for more off-duty days during major wars than combat wounds or nonbattle injuries. Combined stressors may reduce the normal ability of soldiers to resist pathogens, increase their susceptibility to biological warfare agents, and reduce the effectiveness of vaccines intended to protect them. There is also a concern with the inappropriate use of dietary supplements. This book, one of a series, examines the impact of various types of stressors and the role of specific dietary nutrients in maintaining immune function of military personnel in the field. It reviews the impact of compromised nutrition status on immune function; the interaction of health, exercise, and stress (both physical and psychological) in immune function; and the role of nutritional supplements and newer biotechnology methods reported to enhance immune function. The first part of the book contains the committee's workshop summary and evaluation of ongoing research by Army scientists on immune status in special forces troops, responses to the Army's questions, conclusions, and recommendations. The rest of the book contains papers contributed by workshop speakers, grouped under such broad topics as an introduction to what is known about immune function, the assessment of immune function, the effect of nutrition, and the relation between the many and varied stresses encountered by military personnel and their effect on health.

The Nutrition and Health series of books have, as an overriding mission, to provide health professionals with texts that are considered essential because each includes: 1) a synthesis of the state of the science, 2) timely, in-depth reviews by the leading researchers in their respective fields, 3) extensive, up-to-date fully annotated reference lists, 4) a detailed index, 5) relevant tables and figures, 6) identification of paradigm shifts and the consequences, 7) virtually no overlap of information between chapters, but targeted, inter-chapter referrals, 8) suggestions of areas for future research and 9) balanced, data driven answers to patient /health professionals questions which are based upon the total ity of evidence rather than the findings of any single study. The series volumes are not the outcome of a symposium. Rather, each editor has the potential to examine a chosen area with a broad perspective, both in subject matter as well as in the choice of chapter authors. The international perspective, especially with regard to public health initiatives, is emphasized where appropriate. The editors, whose trainings are both research and practice oriented, have the opportunity to develop a primary objec tive for their book; define the scope and focus, and then invite the leading authorities from around the world to be part of their initiative. The authors are encouraged to provide an overview of the field, discuss their own research and relate the research findings to potential human health consequences.