Essentials of Life Cycle Nutrition is an introductory undergraduate text book appropriate for use in Nutrition, Dietetics, Family Consumer Sciences and other related programs. This book is a more basic version of the author's larger text, Nutrition in the Life Cycle: An Evidenced-Based Approach, without the high-level research basics more appropriate for advanced nutrition courses. Essentials of Life Cycle Nutrition covers nutrition requirements through out the life span, with a special emphasis on both pregnancy and End of Life issues. Including over 100 illustrations, photos and tables, Essentials provides a look into contemporary nutritional issues such as pediatric vegetarianism, childhood obesity, diabetes, eating disorders, chronic disease, pharmacologic considerations, physical activity and weight management, and unique nutrition needs in the older adult. The text also provides a full spectrum of the nutritional guidelines to begin the solid preparation needed for a career in practice.