Scope
The supply of nutrients is an absolute requirement for life and has driven the evolution of every organism on the planet. Our own nutritional needs are diverse, being required to support a spectrum of complex biochemical and physiological functions in our tissues and organs. Disruption of nutrient supply or utilisation impairs proper cellular, organ and organism function, leading to ill health and increased mortality. To understand these mechanisms, research in the field of nutrition necessarily spans a wide array of subject areas from the molecular to the population level, linking nutrient gene interactions with metabolic regulation and determining their impact on the health of individuals and populations. As such, there is a necessity to understand how people acquire the nutrients that they consume, the mechanisms and effectiveness of their digestion and absorption, and the impact of their utilisation on health. In this topic, we aim to provide an overview of human nutrition with a focus on emergent fields of importance, including the impacts of dietary change, food insecurity, and the rise of novel foods.
keywords
Nutritional Needs Nutrient Supply Health Dietary Change Food Insecurity