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AGING AND NUTRITION
Nutrition and the Later Years, Weg, R. B.,
Publications Office, Andrus Gerontology
Center, University of Southern California,
3715 McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA
9007,1978,222 pp., softcover, $5.50, plus
35 cents handling charge.
A critical review of available literature,
this book is not. An attempt to promote
concern for subclinical malnutrition, it
certainly is.' A scholarly work , it is not. A
publication replete with factual errors
(iron losses equal I gm daily , fat Calorie
content equals 4 gm and so on), it surely is.
This book explores aging and nutrition
and their relation to health, disease, and
longevity in a manner appealing to activ-
ists but distressing to scientists in nutri-
tion, the biology of aging, and mdicine.
Nutrition and the Later Years should be
read only by those with sufficient in depth
knowledge of the three scientific areas in-
volved to separate useful information
from both opinions reported uncritically
and references inaccurately interpreted.
The, book features the Pritikin fat-free
diet and exercise regimens for the reversal
of atherosclerosis and hypertension in a
list of research priorities . It gives less
space to other needs including megavita-
min therapy, vegetarianism, and eleven
less controversial proposals. The book's
conclusion-use more effectively what is
now known-is its most important,
though often obscured, message. Also ob-
scured, though present, is the important
suggestion that more efficient use be made
of available resources not currently direc-
ted toward research in nutrition and
aging.
Donald M. Watkin, M.D., M.P.H.,
F.A.C.P., Suite 301,3001 Veazey Ter-
race, N. w., Washington, DC 20008.
CONSUMER EDUCA nON
You Are What You Eat: A common-
sense guide to the modern American diet,
Gilbert, S., Macmillan Publishing Co.,
866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022,
1977, 144 pp., $6.95.
Written for teenagers, You Are What
You Eat is an easy book to read and gain
practical ideas about health and eating to
match different lifestyles. The book also
helps develop an appreciation that one
really cannot afford to take food for
granted. Pushing the theme that you have
to eat as much with your head as with
your mouth, lively class or family discus-
sions could result from the information
showing that food is central to the politi-
cal and economic life of our country.
The book suffers from some overstate-
ments or exaggerations about government
and food industry roles and needs addi-
tional clarifying statements about the ex-
tent food may cause brain damage and
mental retardation. However, the reader
gains new insights, sensible ideas about
snacking and eating, and is encouraged to
learn more about nutrition using reliable
sources of information. In addition the
book suggests it is possible to become a
more enlightened consumer at the same
time one monitors personal problems such
as overnutrition, food waste, and un-
willingness to try new foods.
While the author takes an advocacy po-
sition, one cannot deny that youth should
get more involved in examing the
problems of governing and regulating
food. Teens should be encouraged to pin-
point how the food industry is lessening
food taste and nuttitive quality, and over-
processing our foods, rather than simply
issuing blanket condemnations about
these concerns .
The author is to be commended for
showing that nutrition, politics, econom-
ics, morality, and diplomacy are no longer
"far away"problems. A more engaging
title might have reflected this.
Martha C. Mapes, M.S., Division Ex-
tension Leader, Division oj Nutritional
Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca,
NY 14853.
DISEASE AND NUTRITION
Nutrition & Cancer, Winick, M., Ed.,
John Wiley & Sons, 605 Third Ave., New
York, NY 10018, 1977, 184 pp., $18.
This sixth volume in Winick's series on
Current Concepts in Nutrition meets the
excellent standards set in the previous vol-
umes. The book is divided into three parts
representing three aspects of nutrition and
July-September 1978 Vol. 10
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cancer. Part one presents five chapters on
how nutrition is related to the etiology of
cancer. Part two contains three chapters
on nutrient deficiencies caused by various
types of cancer. The four chapters in part
three deal with the prevention and therapy
of cancer using nutritional means.
Both experimental work with animals
and humans, as well as epidemiological
evidence, are discussed by Winick and
17 other authors. Recent advances, such
as experimental use of vitamin A analogs,
are included in this up-to-date review.
Conclusions from the research presented
are discussed from a balanced viewpoint
of what is really known, what is
suggestive, and where further research is
needed .
Although it is obvious from the variety
of styles, and even some differences of
opinion, that many authors assisted in the
preparation of this book, on the whole it
is tied together quite well. An extensive in-
dex covers the book uniformly. For those
health practitioners and educators who
want a comprehensive update on this
topic, Nutrition & Cancer is recommen-
ded.
Gaylord P. Whitlock, Ph.D., Extension
Nutritionist, Cooperative Extension,
University oj California, Davis, CA
95616.
Understanding Your Diabetes, Colwell,
A . R., Charles C. Thomas, 201 E. Law-
rence Ave., Springfield, IL, 1978, 171 pp.,
softcover, $6.95; hardcover, $10.75 .
This book by the son of a famous dia-
betologist could have filled the existing
void of a comprehensive self-educational
teaching manual for diabetic patients .
Unfortunately, it will be difficult for the
average lay person to follow the text.
Although it is obvious that the author
speaks from considerable personal ex-
perience, some of the information is out-
dated . Thus the emphasis on the impor-
tance of diet is excellent, but specific
dietary advice does not reflect currently
accepted guidelines. The need for differ-
ent diets for different types of diabetes,
well summarized by West (Ann. Internal
Med., 79:425, 1973) is also not discussed.
The old classification of diabetes given in
this book has been supplanted by a more
functional one, relating to insulin avail-
ability and cellular sensitivity, which has
No. 3 Journal of Nutrition Education 131