The growing knowledge base of nutrient requirements, the continuing evaluation of what constitutes a healthy diet, and increasing awareness of the influence of diet in infancy and childhood on adult health have underscored the critical importance of nutrition in determining health and wellness in children, both in childhood and in the rest of their lives.

The 5th edition of the Manual of Pediatric Nutrition provides the necessary background and practical basis for nutritional assessment and therapy for pediatricians, pediatric nurses, dietitians, house officers, fellows, and students.

Organized into three main sections, (I) Nutrition and the Well Child, (II) Nutrition and the Hospitalized Child, and (III) Nutrition and Specific Disease States, the manual covers the basics of nutrition assessment, nutritional requirements, and feeding guidelines for healthier infants, children, and adolescents. Oral health and food assistance programs are also reviewed, along with the use of specialized enteral and parenteral products in the treatment of sick children. A wide range of pediatric clinical disorders are included in the section on specific diseases.

Appendices provide conversion tables, information on drug–nutrient interactions, and growth charts.