ABSTRACT
Adequate nutrition is the key to health through all stages of life. It is the fuel that powers each of the cellular mechanisms that allow us to exist in a functional state of good health. Imbalances, surfeits, or deciencies in macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats) or micronutrients (iron, zinc, vitamins, etc.) can lead to pathologic derangements and death. This is true through all stages of life, whether as an embryo or as an aging adult. Malnutrition often begins in utero and its effects can persist through a lifetime, causing chronic disease, suboptimal quality of life, and enormous costs to society. Malnutrition in women of childbearing age can result in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and low-birth-weight infants. This cycle can persist through generations without appropriate intervention.
