ABSTRACT
The role of nutrition in health and sports performance has gained importance primarily through increased knowledge of exercise physiology. Dietetics is the science of applying food and nutrition to health and disease; therefore, individuals who receive training to become experts in food and nutrition are commonly referred to as dietitians. Exercise or sport nutrition is a relatively new specialty area in the field of nutrition that integrates the principles of nutrition and physical activity as they relate to the enhancement of sports performance or the prevention of chronic disease. Epidemiological studies that examine the distribution of disease in a large population, have also played key roles in the development of nutrition guidelines, public health policy, and education programs, particularly as they relate to the prevention of chronic disease. Biology and chemistry serve as the foundation for understanding almost every aspect of nutrition, exercise, and health.
