I. Elmadfa and E. Weichselbaum, eds. Basel: Karger. Forum of Nutrition, Vol. 58. 224 pp.
ISBN 3-8055-7905-5. EUR 163.
This book is a compilation of health and nutrition data from a selection of European countries. It is the result of a project financially supported by the European Union under the Public Health programme. Thirteen countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Hungary) participated and provided data on food consumption, nutrient intake and health-related indicators such as physical activity, overweight, obesity, blood lipids and smoking. Morbidity and mortality statistics for diet-related diseases are also given. Food consumption trends are illustrated using FAO food balance sheets and household budget surveys. Energy and nutrient intake, and where available, biochemical markers from recent dietary surveys in various population groups are also included. For each subject the results from the participating countries are summarized and compared. In addition, a large section gives detailed data for each country.
The book provides the first comprehensive collection of health and nutrition data for a majority of the member states before the enlargement in 2004. As such it is a pioneering work that should be useful for a wide range of professionals engaged in the public health and food sectors and for policy makers.
The price, 163 euros, will probably limit the uptake to libraries, university institutions, companies, etc. It would be useful to incorporate such reporting into ongoing monitoring, preferably within a European Union-supported framework. This would increase the availability of future reporting, e.g. through publishing on the Internet.