Preventive Nutrition—The Comprehensive Guide for Health Professionals,

3rd ed, edited by Adrianne Bendich and Richard J Deckelbaum, 2005, 984 pages, hardcover, $145. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ.

Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Center for Human Nutrition
615 North Wolfe Street
Room W 2041
Baltimore, MD 21205-2179 E-mail: caballero{at}jhu.edu

The potential of dietary interventions to reduce disease risk is now widely recognized, and an increasing number of health professionals are seeking accurate information on dietary factors that affect the risk of individuals and groups. This book aims to fulfill that need by offering comprehensive coverage of the scientific rationale and application of nutritional interventions to prevent major disease groups.

This 3rd edition contains 37 chapters, which is a substantial expansion from the previous 2 editions, which contained about 25 chapters each. The chapters cover key areas of prevention and are organized in sections by major disease or condition: cancer prevention, cardiovascular disease prevention, diabetes and obesity, bone disease, prevention of major disabilities, and optimal pregnancy and infant outcomes. The book ends with 2 insightful sections, 1 on global perspectives of prevention and the other on critical issues for the 21st century. The list of contributors to this book is impressive, not only because of the large number of authors, 79, but also because most of the authors are well-recognized leaders in their fields. Despite the multiplicity of authors, the editors managed to ensure a uniform organization of each chapter. For example, all chapters start with a list of key points, which are followed by an introductory section. These key points not only summarize the chapter's content but also constitute a guide to the learning objectives for the chapter. Similarly, every chapter includes a final section on recommendations.

The chapters are uniformly of excellent scientific quality, include generous numbers of figures and tables, and are extensively documented by literature citations. The book is clearly targeted at presenting a scientific basis and dwells much less on the practical use of specific dietary patterns or supplements, and the coverage of botanicals and nonconventional dietary supplements is limited. However, if you are seeking an up-to-date, detailed discussion of the role of nutrients in the prevention of major diseases or to better understand a controversial issue in that area, this book is an excellent place to start.