Where can students in health class and general readers turn for accurate, dependable, fad-free information? This two-volume reference examines the relationship between food and health on a historical, national and personal level. It analyzes how nutrition has affected quality of life, health and fitness in various countries at different times in history. The work looks at the connections between diet and such diseases as beriberi and scurvy, and the role nutrition plays in conditions such as weight and height increases, diabetes, and obesity. Historical as well as contemporary methods of treatment are presented from an international viewpoint. Dietary trends within various cultures are also covered, ranging from the consumption habits of Asian-Americans to those of Central Europe to those customary of Pacific Islanders.

The set is rich in biographies of influential figures in the fields of nutrition and medicine such as McDonald's founder Ray Kroc; Sylvester Graham, the creator of the now-famous Graham cracker; and William Stark, a pioneer in early research into balanced diets. Profiles of major organizations such as UNICEF, the National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization complete this world guide to health and nutrition.