Nutrition is the study of the relationship between diet and states of health and disease. Nutrition, thus, encompasses the study of food. Between the extremes of optimal health and death from starvation or malnutrition, there is an array of disease states that can be caused or alleviated by changes in diet. Deficiencies, excesses and imbalances in the diet can produce negative impacts on health, which may result in diseases such as scurvy, obesity or osteoporosis. The science of nutrition attempts to understand how and why specific aspects of diet have specific influences on health.
Nutrition is as much about science and medicine as it is about sociology and economics. While a vast part of humanity suffers from various deficiency diseases, many in more prosperous parts suffer from ‘lifestyle diseases’ that are caused by bad eating and health habits, usually associated with affluence and sedentary lifestyles that our bodies were not designed for. Nutritional support is one big plank of developmental politics and economics.
Nutrition has direct relation with health, longevity, proper hormonal functioning and physical and mental efficiency. Health drinks and supplements, vitamin and mineral additives, low fat oil, low sugar sweeteners, non-spicy food, vegetarian fare are all big commercial ventures. The food processing industry has been using processes like pasteurization, autoclavation, drying, salting, and separation of various components, milling, centrifugation, and pressing for bringing about a better and healthy living.
This section provides links to various issues and components related to Nutrition.