Thompson and Manore discuss the growing importance of nutrition education in students' lives.

Janice Thompson and Melinda Manore capitalize on students' natural interest in nutrition by demonstrating how nutrition relates to their health and everyday lives, and by addressing-and debunking-commonly held misconceptions students have about nutrition. The authors draw on their respective areas of expertise and experience. Janice earned her PhD at Arizona State University in exercise science with an emphasis in exercise physiology and nutrition. She is currently a Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Bristol in the Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, and is also a nutrition & exercise research consultant at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences.

Melinda earned a doctorate in human nutrition with a minor in exercise physiology at Oregon State University, and a master's degree in health education from the University of Oregon. She is a professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at Oregon State University.

BC | Your book, Nutrition, An Applied Approach, takes an innovative approach in its organization of the micronutrients chapters. Rather than listing them in tables for students to memorize, you organize them according to their functions in the body. What inspired you to do this, and why does it make more sense for students to learn the vitamins and minerals this way?

JT | My primary inspiration for using the functional approach is that it helps students learn and remember the information and avoids rote memorization. I have spent a considerable amount of time and energy determining how to teach the micronutrients in an interesting and effective way. Organizing nutrients by functions makes sense because this approach is consistent with how nutrients function in our body. The functional approach also helps students understand the bigger picture of nutrition and how it impacts our health.

BC | You place an emphasis in your text on addressing and correcting students' common misconceptions about nutrition. Do you think students today have more misconceptions about nutrition than students of 15-20 years ago?

MM | We are constantly asked nutrition questions by our students, or we hear incorrect statements from them. Thus, we know that if our students can't sort common "misconceptions" from "facts," then other students will have the same problem. We also know there is more and more "misinformation" in the marketplace because anyone can put his/her "version of the facts" on the Internet. Students need to learn to sort fact from fiction and to be more critical in thinking about these issues. We want to teach students how to be critical thinkers when it comes to health issues.

BC | What is the most outrageous (or your favorite) false claim about nutrition made in the popular press, media, or advertising?

JT | That carbohydrates make you fat—they don't!!! Eating more energy than we expend through physical activity makes us fat, and carbohydrates are critical to provide energy to our brains and body systems at rest. In addition, carbohydrates are the primary energy source used during exercise. Without carbohydrates, it is impossible to be regularly physically active. I am hopeful that as more research is completed and published, people will learn that no nutrient is bad, and that we need to maintain the proper balance of all nutrients to maintain a healthy body weight.

BC | The Nutrition Debates at the end of each chapter really highlight that nutrition is a constantly evolving science. What do you think is one of the most important new developments in nutrition today?

MM | One of the emerging and growing areas of nutrition is the importance of good foods/nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease. We now know that foods contain hundreds of phytonutrients or chemicals that may impart a positive health benefit to the body (e.g. prevent cancer, help lower blood pressure). We don't quite know how all these phytonutrients work together in the body for the prevention of disease, but we do know that eating a variety of foods, especially whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, can reduce risk for chronic disease. We can't just depend on a "pill" or "supplement" to get all the substances we need for good health. Nutrition is a growing and evolving science, and we learn more each year.

BC | You have a real passion for teaching nutrition in an accessible and applied manner, and driving the material home to students' own health and lives. Where (or how) in your book do you think this comes through most clearly?

JT | I believe our writing style allows complex material to be presented in a clear and friendly style that is accessible. Students not only enjoy the writing style, but it maintains their interest while they learn. Our writing style really helps students "get it." In addition, the features of the text, particularly the Nutricases, Nutrition Myth or Fact boxes, and Chapter Summaries, result in our text being very accessible and applicable to students' lives.

BC | What question comes up most often from colleagues who know you've written a textbook? How do you answer it?

MM | Colleagues typically want to know, "Why did you write the book?" There is usually only one reason to write a textbook: you know you can write a book that meets the needs of the students and is better than what is currently available on the market. Janice and I certainly feel this way about this book. We thought there was a better way to present nutrition information to students, get the students excited about nutrition, and hopefully through this students will change their eating habits.

BC | You've definitely been busy-writing a textbook, working and teaching, and traveling to conferences. Any tips on maintaining a healthful diet while pressed for time?

JT | I highly recommend taking the time to pack food and bring it with you. Airlines only serve food on very long flights now, so it is extremely tempting to overeat and make poor food choices when traveling. I typically pack light snacks that are easy to carry and eat on the road-yogurt, fruit, nuts, and trail mix snacks. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole grain bread are also a favorite that travel well I also find that more stores and restaurants are offering healthful food choices, making my life much easier when it comes to eating healthy while traveling.