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Nutrition in the Community: The Art and Science of Delivering Services,

Tufts University School of Nutrition, New England Medical Center Hospital, 750 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111

4th ed, by AL Owen, PL Splett, and GM Owen, 1999, 654 pages, hardcover, $69.50. WCB McGraw-Hill, New York.

This extensively revised fourth edition of a classic textbook on community and public health nutrition has much to offer to those who teach both graduates and undergraduates in the health professions. This edition adds both analytic and medical expertise to an already strong text in public health nutrition. It differs from other texts in that it is theory based, but also firmly rooted in teaching practical applications in community practice. This book deserves a place on the bookshelf of all clinical nutritionists who make presentations to community groups or who conduct research on applied topics. Those who provide nutritional care in community settings will also find many "pearls" to use in practice.

The text addresses health as a biological phenomenon that interacts with behavioral and lifestyle factors, environmental factors, and factors related to the health care system. The relations between these factors are examined. The first part of the book focuses on environmental factors influencing community nutrition practice, including both social and physical aspects of the environment and demographic and social trends that affect the delivery of community nutrition services. Various issues related to dietary guidance, food labeling, and communication of nutritional concepts to consumers are also considered. Basic principles of nutritional epidemiology are introduced and discussed with a community focus. A brief overview of the health care system and the role of nutrition services within it follow. An informative exposition of methods for measuring performance and outcomes is also given. Public policy issues with special relevance to nutrition, the interplay between government and various interest groups in forging nutrition policy, the food supply, and issues of current concern in community nutrition are discussed. This section concludes with a discussion of the effects of these various forces on behavior and methods for bringing about behavioral changes.

Chapters in the second part of the book focus on community nutrition during the different life stages: infancy, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy, and old age. Nutrition in individuals with special developmental and health needs is also addressed. The third part of the book focuses on managerial aspects of delivering nutrition services. This section is unique and particularly strong. It begins by addressing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs to meet community needs and concludes by discussing aspects of money management, including budgeting and grant writing. The final part of the book addresses means for achieving effective community nutrition programs and includes topics such as communications, strategies for working effectively in cross-cultural and multicultural settings, ethics, and international nutrition.

The book is a good choice for college teachers of community and public health nutrition. Each chapter has either a case study or a commentary by an expert that addresses practical applications, including a set of questions about each case, learning objectives, and core concepts. The book concludes with 7 appendixes, 2 of which include definitions of commonly used terms in managed care and nutrition care. Resources and organizations involved in food and nutrition policy and in nutrition education are also provided as are selected physical signs of malnutrition and an evaluation of scientific research about diet.

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dwyer, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dwyer, J. Agricola Articles by Dwyer, J.