Book Review
            Geriatric Nutrition, edited by John E Morley and David R                Noteworthy strengths of this text include the impressive
            Thomas, 2007, 600 pages, hardcover, $139.95. CRC Press,              breadth of topics covered and the integration of evidence-based
            BocaRaton, FL.                                                       scientificknowledgewithclinicalapplication.Futureeditionsof
                                                                                 the text might benefit from a chapter devoted to the relation
               Geriatric Nutrition provides a comprehensive and evidence-        betweenphysical activity, nutrition, and healthy aging, because
            based review of both basic and clinical aspects involved in nu-      bothphysicalinactivityandpoornutritionareimportantcontrib-
            trition and aging. The editors successfully assemble and present     utors to many age-associated chronic diseases addressed in the        Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/88/2/481/4650412 by guest on 08 January 2023
            a substantial amount of information covering diverse topics          text. Although a few single paragraphs on physical activity are
            withingeriatricnutrition.Manyoftheindividualchapterseffec-           dispersedthroughoutthetext,theyarebrief;additionalinforma-
            tively integrate basic scientific knowledge with clinical applica-   tion pertaining to the importance of physical activity for older
            tion. All 35 chapters are well-referenced and authored by one or     adults and specific recommendations for this population would
            moreexpertsineachrespectivesubjectaddressed.Theextensive             bewelcome.Furthermore,alongerdiscussionoraseparatechap-
            list of citedpublicationsfollowingeachchapterallowsreadersto         ter on the relation between nutrition, inflammation, and chronic
            access further information on topics of particular interest,         disease in older adults would be a strong addition to this com-
            whereas the inclusion of an index facilitates easy navigation.       prehensive review of nutrition and aging.
            Mostofthechaptersprovidetables, charts, graphs, and illustra-           Overall,thisvoluminoustextmakesanimportantcontribution
            tions that convey information clearly and concisely, many of         to the geriatric nutrition literature. All individuals who are inter-
            whicharesuitableasclinicallyusefultools.Examplesofassess-            ested in the nutritional health of older adults, from clinical re-
            mentandscreeningtoolsspecifictoolderadultsareprovidedin              searchers to dietitians, gerontologists, geriatricians, and other
            the text, including the Mini Nutritional Assessment, the Simpli-     healthprofessionals,wouldbenefitfromthecomprehensivecov-
            fied Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire, and the National Risk       erageofgeriatricnutrition provided. In addition, this text would
            Screening.                                                           beanexcellentchoiceforthosewhoteachspecialtycoursesinthe
               Thetextbeginswithanoverviewofthebroaderissuesfacing               field of nutrition and agingtograduateandadvancedundergrad-
            the aging population and ends with discussions of multicultural      uate students. In view of the growing number and proportion of
            andethicalconsiderations related to the nutritional care of older    olderadultsworldwide,GeriatricNutritionprovidesathorough,
            adults.Asizablenumberofchaptersaddresstheroleofnutrition             timely, and evidence-based review of an increasingly important
            in the prevention and management of specific age-associated          topic.
            diseases, including anemia, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmo-
            nary disease, dementia, depression, diabetes, hypertension, im-        Noconflicts of interest were declared.
            munedysfunction, and osteoporosis. Additional topics covered
            in individual chapters include molecular theories of aging, nu-                                                       Paige E Miller
            tritionalrequirements,nutritionalassessment,vitamindisorders,                                                      Gordon L Jensen
            gastrointestinal function, obesity, oral health, sarcopenia, and
            cachexia.Thechaptersdevotedtothemanagementofnutritional              Department of Nutritional Sciences
            issuesinnursinghomesandassistedlivingenvironmentsmaybe               ThePennsylvania State University
            particularlybeneficialforthoseinvolvedinthelong-termcareof           University Park, PA 16801
            the elderly.                                                         E-mail: pem136@psu.edu
            AmJClinNutr2008;88:481. Printed in USA. © 2008 American Society for Nutrition                                                    481