Measured meals : nutrition in America /

Americans are inundated and often confused by the overwhelming number of studies and reports on foods, diets, and health. In Measured Meals, Mudry (science and technical communication, Concordia Univ.) points to communication as a key element in helping to explain Americans' relationship with food, taste, and the act of eating. She provides a critical review of the history of American nutritional research, highlighting the overly quantitative focus that has dominated US society. Numbers, measurements, and statistics have served as replacements for more meaningful experiences associated with food quality, taste, and cultural traditions. In her narrative, the author examines the power of language to shape views of food and eating. She provides an excellent discourse on the evolution of the food pyramid and discusses the social, economic, and political factors that play a significant role in the use of quantification as a communication strategy. The clearly written, well-documented chapters contain detailed notes. The book includes an extensive reference list of publications and Web-based resources and an easy-to-use subject index. This is a thoughtful, well-researched work that serves as an excellent resource for understanding the complexities involved in Americans' relationship to food and nutrition. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty, nutritionists, and food scientists. D. C. Anderson Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences