Nutrition in primary care : a handbook for GPs, nurses, and primary health care professionals

As a result of recent changes in health care, nurses, GPs and health visitors find that they are required to take a major role in nutrition education and dietary advice. Health promotion is now an important aspect of general practice and community care. Shorter periods of hospitalisation, increased care of the chronically ill 'in the community' and the management of disorders like diabetes within general practice have meant that many more people now require specialised nutritional care. At the same time, rapid advances in nutrition have left some health professionals feeling that their dietary knowledge is inadequate. This book updates the reader on the relationships between diet and health and the use of diet in the management of disease. Topical but less familiar nutrients such as antioxidant vitamins or long-chain fatty acids are explained in ways that are easily understood. Adviceis given on the types on nutritional problems that can be successfully identified and managed in the primary-care setting and those that may require specialised dietetic help.