Nutrition and Immunity

Nutrition and Immunity discusses the interaction between nutrition, immune function, and immunity, based on empirical and epidemiologic point of view. It is organized into 14 chapters that focus on experimental studies on laboratory animals, including animal models to isolate specific factors in the interaction between nutrition and immunity. The book starts with an introduction to the potential impact of nutritional factors on immune responsiveness. Two chapters deal with the evaluation of immune function and nutritional assessment. Other chapters present classic observations on malnutrition and infectious disease, involving field studies as well as studies on the effect of nutritional factors on immune ontogeny. The following chapters examine issues related to caloric intake, proteins, minerals, vitamins, lipids, breast milk, and alcohol, as well as their effects in immune function and immunity. The book's final chapters cover future directions and the potential role of nutritional modulation in immune dysfunction. Each chapter is meant to be an authoritative review presenting the state of the art as well as providing key illustrations from classic papers in a given field. Nutritionists, immunologists, scientists, and researchers will find this book very helpful in expanding their knowledge in the interrelationship between nutrition and immunity.