title: Nutritional adaptation in man: general introduction and concepts.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to clarify thinking on the subject of nutritional adaptation. A series of concepts and questions are proposed with, as examples, some of the responses that occur to low intakes of energy and protein. The main conclusions are first, that in dealing with human beings value judgements cannot be avoided, but to avoid sterile discussion they must be separated from objective descriptions of adaptive responses. Second, the way ahead lies in examining the shape of the responses of different functions to different degrees and kinds of stress. Objective studies of this kind do not require use of the word adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Sciences, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Waterlow
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001835:Body Weight; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
chemical_list: D004247:DNA