Nutrition is the science of food, the nutrients in foods and how the body uses those nutrients. It includes the process of ingestion, digestion, absorption, metabolism, transport, storage and excretion of those nutrients. It also includes the environmental, psychological and behavioural aspects of food and eating. The six classes of nutrients include: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water (1).

Nutrition principles are applied throughout the life cycle from the time of conception to our later years. Areas of nutrition emphasis include pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and the ‘older’ adult. The relationship between diet and health is strong. Diet is an important factor in heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cancer, diabetes mellitus and obesity (1). A nutritionist is someone who examines our dietary intake and lifestyle so as to discover any imbalances.