The Nutrition and Health series of books have had great success because each volume has the consistent overriding mission of providing health professionals with texts that are essential because each includes (1) a synthesis of the state of the science, (2) timely, in-depth reviews by the leading researchers in their respective ?elds, (3) extensive, up-to-date fully annotated ref- ence lists, (4) a detailed index, (5) relevant tables and ?gures, (6) identi?cation of paradigm shifts and the consequences, (7) virtually no overlap of information between chapters, but targeted, inter-chapter referrals, (8) suggestions of areas for future research, and (9) balanced, data-driven answers to patient as well as health professionals questions which are based upon the totality of evidence rather than the ?ndings of any single study. The series volumes are not the outcome of a symposium. Rather, each editor has the potential to examine a chosen area with a broad perspective, both in subject matter and in the choice of chapter authors. The editor(s), whose training(s) is (are) both research and practice oriented, has(ve) the opportunity to develop a primary objective for their book, de?ne the scope and focus, and then invite the leading authorities to be part of their initiative. The authors are encouraged to provide an overview of the ?eld, discuss their own research, and relate the research ?ndings to potential human health consequences.