The need for co-ordination of research in nutrition

On two assumptions, first that the number of dietarily essential nutrients for Man and the common monogastric mammals is 40 and, second, that the effects of at least two dietary levels of each nutrient would have to be examined in order to cover the possible nutrient interactions, then 2(40), or approximately 10(12) diets would need to be prepared. This number is beyond human capacity within any reasonable period of time: moreover, it assumes constancy of the non-essential part of the diet. Very few of the possible nutrient interactions have been studied and, as a supplement to piecemeal studies by individual workers, a co-ordinated research programme is desirable. It is noted that, while considerable attention has been paid to the nutrition of growth, the adult stage has been very neglected: the status of adult man in particular calls for attention. Factors concerned in the planning of co-ordinated research are briefly discussed.