Appetite and Nutritional Assessment

Appetite is the desire to eat food and it exists in all higher life-forms, and serves to regulate adequate energy intake to maintain metabolic needs. A person's nutritional assessment is an in-depth evaluation of both objective and subjective data related to the individual's food and nutrient intake, lifestyle, and medical history. The association of appetite, diet and nutrition with chronic disease such as diabetes has been well documented. This book presents a variety of topics on appetite and health. It highlights the complexity of accurately assessing dietary patterns and dietary needs. Also included is new research on the role of peptides in appetite control as well as a new approach in the thinking on why eating disorders occur.