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 making it an ideal companion for students throughout their study of nutrition. 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.