Accentuate the positive.

Abstract

N UTRI TIO N DEFINED in its simplest tenus is the science of food and its relation to health. But, to define it more fully, we must add that nutrition deals with food, with the combination of nutrients in food and the way in which the organism makes use of these nutrients. In 1881, a German physiologist noted that he had no doubt that if diets composed of the recognized nutrients in suitable proportions were fed, they would be adequate physiologically, Today, almost a century later, we are still actively searching for the right proportion of nutrients which will constitute a good diet. This is not meant to infer that progress has not been made in the field of nutrition. However, we have a great deal more to learn about proportions, ratios, balances and interactions of nutrients. The effective use of dietary standards becomes a prerequisite if we are to attain precision in recommendations concerning the attainment of a good diet.