Nutritional sciences: a position paper from Kiel

Nutritional science involves a spectrum of disciplines and the use of many different methodologies. The actual challenges of nutritional science are t wofold: the epidemic of overnutrition and obesity in industrialized nations as well as undernutrition and starvation in the poorer areas of this world . There is need for answers. These should come from scientific work and fro m cooperate actions. The science of nutrition comprises not only the knowle dge of biology and chemistry of nutrients and their metabolism but also the determinants of individual health as well as the greater public health asp ects. Thus the science of nutrition is mainly an applied science. There is need for a new orientation of nutritional science in Germany. Scientists sh ould help to provide solutions for the big nutritional problems of our time .