Scientific Evidence for Musculoskeletal, Bariatric, and Sports Nutrition.

Scientific Evidence for Musculoskeletal, Bariatric, and Sports Nutrition Kohlstadt I, ed. Boca Raton, FL, 33487, CRC Press, 2006, hardcover, 644 pp, illus, ISBN: 0-8493-3724-0, $139.95.

This book is a timely and comprehensive evidence-based assimilation of nutrition into medical treatment. The book is intended to provide the latest information to practicing physicians, clinical investigators, and other researchers involved in the basic science and clinical aspects of this broad and rapidly evolving topic. The book is organized into 7 sections: "Frontiers and Technologic Advances," "Key Nutrients," "Fat Tissue," "Muscle Tissue," "Soft Tissue," "Bone," and "Physical Stress."

Section I is divided into 3 chapters on the topics of technological advances, including body composition, prevention of musculoskeletal disorders of aging, and fetal and infant nutrition. Section II is an extensive update on fuels, antioxidants, water, and the importance of key minerals. Section III provides an update on fat tissue and its role in appetite, childhood obesity and treatment, and malnutrition. Section IV focuses on muscle tissue with respect to aging, strain, and hypertrophy.

The fifth section is divided into 4 chapters on soft tissue and nutritional innovations for osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, and oral markers of tissue health. Section VI provides an update on bone nutrition, nutritional innovations in osteoporosis, and fracture management. The concluding section, section VII, describes nutrition's role in physical stress such as orthopedic surgery, extreme environments (eg, high altitude and temperature), and ergogenics to maintain performance.

The book includes tables and figures for easy reference and provides references to recent clinical trials. Each chapter contains an editor's note explaining how nutrition can be integrated into practice. The text also includes nutritional recommendations from world-renowned clinicians.

Despite the lack of content related to physical therapy, the book warrants a look from educators who would like to provide their physical therapy students with the most recent evidence on nutrition in the daily treatment of various musculoskeletal conditions. Although the book may be too narrow in scope for a professional physical therapist student textbook, it could serve as an adjunct reference for those interested in research or teaching musculoskeletal content.

Janna Beling

J Beling, PT, PhD, is Department Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, California State University, Northridge, Calif.

[DOI: 10.2522/ptj.2007.87.5.613.1]