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© 2012, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers

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First Edition: 2012

Typeset at JPBMP typesetting unit

The best of education in USA and India and over 25 years of practical experience in one of the leading Medical College hospitals of North India and teaching experience of students, that is what Mrs. Ruma Singh's short biodata. Her rich experience as a dietician and expert in Nutrition has been put into print in this book Food and Nutrition for Nurses.

The Science of Nutrition is the subject which is important worldwide but in recent years it is more talked about and discussed in developing countries like India than in developed countries, many thanks to all the authors of all times who by their efforts have brought the subject to such a height that it has become a part of daily inevitable routine and thoughts. A large percentage of people in India are becoming health conscious. We the dieticians have to battle in bringing home the subject to the people who sometimes do not understand the meaning of nutrition or diet because they are illiterate, they are poor and most of them are surviving in poor living conditions. It has, therefore, become obligatory for the dieticians and other health professionals to make an effort so that the subject reaches the masses. This book which is exclusively written for the nursing students is the result of that effort.

Writing a book is a massive task and achievement in itself which no author can accomplish alone without the involvement of friends, relatives, colleagues, seniors and especially the teachers. First of all I want to thank God, Almighty who made it possible to fulfill my vision of writing this book. Special thanks to Dr.Abraham G. Thomas, Director, Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, for his able guidance, support and much needed critiques to this project. I would also like to thank Mrs. Triza Jiwan, Principal, College of Nursing, CMCH and Mrs. Ponnamma Singh, Vice Principal, College of Nursing, CMCH for their support and help. It would be unfair if I don't acknowledge the professionalism and diligence of my teacher of nutrition-Ms. Janet C. Harder at Eastern Mennonite College (now Eastern Mennonite University), Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA who taught me the nuances of this subject-Nutrition and Dietetics. My friends in USA who shared their knowledge and experiences, and gave some invaluable suggestions. I would also like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of my staff and colleagues in the Department of Dietetics, CMC Hospital, Ludhiana, with special thanks to Mrs. Ruchi Dhundia, Deputy Dietician, Ms. Arshi Mangat, Deputy Dietician, who inspite of being busy and engrossed in the tight-schedule and daily routine of the department, proof-read the material wholeheartedly, to Dr. Rinchu, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, CMCH, for her help, to Mr. Rakesh Shrivastava, Chief Librarian, CMCH, who provided the much needed materials helpful to this project, to the students of nursing who will hopefully learn from and disseminate the knowledge obtained from this book to serve the purpose of this book and to make it a success. I owe my sincere gratitude to reviewers, my friends in Ludhiana who by their critical approach and sustained interest in this project provided me with the encouragement, strength and the power to complete this book. I would also like to thank the publishers who approached me with the offer and have taken up the responsibility to bring this book out in print.

Sept 2011