Aspects of the history of nutrition since 1876

Since 1876, developments in nutritional science have followed those in chemistry, physiology, biochemistry and medicine. The essential relationship between food and body energy has been elucidated. The aetiology of diseases long known in human history has been traced to deficiencies of specific nutrients, the 'vitamins', required in very small amounts. These substances have been isolated, identified and synthesised. Research in infant malnutrition has led to the recognition that comparatively small changes in biochemical programming during growth and development may cause disease later in life. Dietary 'roughage' has been found to have significance in disease prevention and prospects for the very sick have been improved by the development of alternative feeds. Knowledge of the human genome promises exciting new advances for nutrition in relation to public health and clinical medicine.