Perform thorough nutrition assessments and interventions with the help of this concise yet comprehensive resource. Whether you're a clinical practitioner or a student, you'll benefit from a focus on the health effects of overweight and obesity and an overview of cultural impacts on nutrition. The new edition incorporates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005 and the MyPyramid plan for diet and lifestyle planning. The Nutrition Care Process concept gives you even more tools to provide better nutrition assessment and care. From drug-nutrient interactions to the latest American Heart Association recommendations, you'll always have the most current and relevant nutrition information within reach. Incorporates nutrition assessment into almost every chapter, emphasizing performance of a complete nutrition assessment as a basis for planning nutrition interventions and teaching. Covers both enteral and parenteral nutrition support. Highlights the importance of weight control and physical activity for the prevention and care of diabetes and other health problems. Cultural and ethnic nutrition information helps you understand food preferences of diverse populations to aid in planning interventions that will better suit clients' needs. Appendixes available on Evolve provide valuable resources for nutrition intervention, referral, and teaching. The glossary gives you clear definitions of words in an easily accessible reference. MyPyramid and MyPyramid for Kids simplify diet and lifestyle planning for all age groups. NEW assessment tool MEDFICTS (Meat, Eggs, Dairy, Fried foods, In baked goods, Convenience foods, Table fats, Snacks) helps evaluate an individual's diet. MORE information on limiting sodium intake to fight hypertension and ischemic heart disease. EXPANDED content on the liver, particularly related to hepatitis. NEW table lists medications that can impair control of glucose and lipid levels. NEW information on medications to address the nutritional implications of cancer, HIV infection, and diabetes.