The public is bombarded with nutritional "information du jour" that, in general, provides poor guidance for individual and public decisions, a Cornell University nutrition expert says. Yet, applying science-based knowledge for healthier populations is no simple feat. "The process of implementing knowledge into nutrition policy requires expertise from the microbiological to the macro-sociological and is very undeveloped in the field of nutrition," said Cutberto Garza, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell.

To help develop general principles to guide this process, Garza and Cornell colleagues Jere Haas, professor of nutritional sciences; Jean-Pierre Habicht, M.D., the James Jamison Professor of Nutritional Epidemiology; and David Pelletier, associate professor of nutritional sciences, edited the recently published monograph, "Beyond Nutritional Recommendations: Implementing Science for Healthier Populations" (Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University: 1996). It is based on a 1995 three-day interdisciplinary symposium organized by the Cornell nutritionists that focused on how science-based information can be used to improve nutrition policy.

The symposium and the 348-page volume of proceedings examined two case studies: one of nutrient deficiency -- vitamin A deficiency -- and one of excess -- the relationship between dietary fat, lipids and cardiovascular disease.

In 17 chapters, 46 experts from around the world discuss the two case studies, addressing:

what basic biological knowledge was needed before considering nutritional interventions;

• what biological principles were required to guide the design of interventions;
• how epidemiology was used to predict risk for specific nutritional problems and benefits of potential interventions;
• how psychological and sociocultural factors influenced the acceptance, response to and delivery of interventions;
• what steps were needed for designing and implementing effective interventions; and
• how the tensions between nutrition and non-nutrition goals were balanced in developing national policy and science-based knowledge in the process.

"By reviewing these issues for each case study, we have begun to identify generalizable principles relevant to many nutrition problems," Garza said. "These proceedings can now serve as a paradigm for structuring insights gained from the biological and behavioral sciences to provide pertinent and timely information for nutrition policy and program decisions."

The book is $36, including shipping and handling. It can be ordered from the Cornell Resource Center, 7 Research Park, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850; fax (607) 255-9946.