This course is an exploration of the essential nutrients and will give the student the working knowledge of the principles of nutrition. Nutrition information to include digestion, absorption, storage and metabolism of the essential nutrients, their functions, requirements, sources and how these relate to the life cycle and disease conditions. The student will study how adequate diets and weight maintenance can affect general health, diseases and food requirements for all ages from pre-natal to adult years. Current nutritional research, popular diets, diet trends, food availability, consumerism and diets of various national, global, social and economic groups are studied.