American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide

3rd ed, edited by Roberta Larson Duyff, 2006, 676 pages, hardcover, $24.95. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

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The American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, a comprehensive, well-indexed handbook, includes a wide range of nutrition and food topics. It is aimed at the interested public and is written in a quick reference style and is sprinkled with self-assessment tools for each topic. These assessment tools pull the reader into the topic, make the information applicable to everyday life, and help identify areas in which more information is necessary. Of the 676 pages, 630 are textual, which are followed by list of resources, 28 pages of appendixes (mostly tables), and a complete index.

Topics are presented in an interesting order and not in the traditional manner. The first section discusses fitness and body weight, fats, vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and water. The second section discusses foods, food choices, and food shopping and is followed by a section on lifestyle stages—birth through aging. The last section is on "special issues," and includes topics such as athletics, vegetarian eating, and allergies and a small section on managing common chronic diseases and supplement use.

Each chapter of the book focuses on the reader, labeled "you," and the reader is challenged to become smarter about the topic presented and resultant behavior patterns. Food selection, food shopping, and home food storage issues are well covered, but no recipes are included. The book contains 676 pages of information, which is unique for food and nutrition guides aimed at the public.

I have seen this book grow and improve throughout its 3 editions, all of which have been popular with interested readers. The author has included the most recent governmental food guide information and nutrient recommendations. The writing style is very readable. The author uses clever phrases, such as "Carbs: Simply Complex," "Sodium and Potassium: A Salty Subject," and "Kitchen Nutrition: Delicious Decisions."

I highly recommend this book as a ready reference for the person who is not a nutrition professional but who has a strong interest in following and knowing the latest on nutrition topics and recommendations for health.