Nutrition is a topic of wide interest & importance In spite of growing understanding of the underlying biochemistry & health campaigns such as 'five-a-day' increasing obesity & reported food allergies & 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 & exercise the problems of over- & under-nutrition & raises the question of safety of nutritional supplements ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable