'Why we eat what we eat?' is a key question for the 1990s, posed again and again in government departments, in sectors of the food industry, by professionals in health, in education, and in catering, to name a few. It is the same question adopted as the springboard for the UK Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Research Programme on 'The Nation's Diet' (1992-1998), a wide ranging, multi-disciplinary set of co-ordinated basic research projects across the social sciences, including economics, psychology, social anthropology and sociology, as well as education and media studies. Contributors include; Annie S. Anderson, Hannah Bradby, Robert G. Burgess, Michael Burton, Helen Bush, Pat Caplan, Mark Conner, G. Jill Davies, Richard Dorsett, Alan Dowey, John Eldridge, Ben Fine, Andrew Flynn, Leslie Gofton, Susan Gregory, Malcolm Hamilton, Michelle Harrison, Michael Heasman, Spencer Henson, Pauline Horne, Rhiannon James, Anne Keane, Debbie Kemmer, Mike Lean, Diana Leat, Zara Lipsey, C. Fergus Lowe, Sally Macintyre, Terry Marsden, David Marshall, Lydia Martens, David Miller, Marlene Morrison, Elizabeth Murphy, Georgina OIiver, Susan Parker, Christine Phipps, Tessa M. Pollard, Rachel Povey, Jacquie Reilly, Richard Shepard, David Smith, Paul Sparks, Andrew Steptoe, Ann Walker, Alan Warde, Jane Wardle, Anna Willetts, Janice Williams, Rory Williams, Judith Wright, Neil Wrigley, Trevor Young.

The book reviews the causes of illness and offers solutions towards providing good health and health care in an effective and affordable way. In 1948 the NHS budget was 170 million with no provision for any increase, assuming the population would become more healthy. The reverse has happened: evidence is given to show that the health of the nation has deteriorated. The NHS now costs 100 billion a year putting pressure on its continued existence. There are two main causes for this and for the present crisis in health care provision. First : The Welfare Principle that the State will provide in key areas including income, education and healthcare. This has lead to the end of self-reliance and responsibility. The causes of ill health largely depend on the choice of each individuals life style, diet, cooking and eating habits. It is clearly unfair that the whole population should pay for the consequences of individuals irresponsible choices of lifestyle and diet. The origins of the Welfare State are described. An approach to eating healthily based on natural principles of diet and cooking which is probably the only thing over which we have complete control. The causes of obesity and its safe, effective treatment are given. No amount of external medical intervention of any kind can correct a failure to live and eat healthily. Second : The medical treatment now widely offered does not produce good health but rather the reverse, evidence for this is given with a researched critique of the present drug industry led medical treatment including facts on the withdrawal of unsafe drugs and the failure of regulation. An alternative model of medical education and practice is suggested detailing a medical system which is inexpensive and effective based on the combination of present medical treatment and alternative medicine together providing a genuinely individual approach to each patient. Without treatment being conducted and given for each patients individual needs both with medicine and advice on life style and eating- medical practice is largely wasteful. Homoeopathic medicine in particular treats each patient individually. Homoeopathic medicines are in addition extremely inexpensive. Inequality of income A further cause of much illness and costly reliance on the NHS is shown to be due to the large difference between the richer and poorer segments of our population. Unless Society is improved by reforms in social justice, equality and correct information and also individuals take responsibility for their own diet and life style, as this book suggests, the nations health remains at risk.

In the last decade, the world has grown richer and produced more food than ever before. Yet in that same period, hunger has increased and 925 million remain underfed and malnourished. Exploring this troubling paradox, The Feeding of Nations: Re-Defining Food Security for the 21st Century offers a glimpse into how the simple aspiration of global foo

Health Systems & Delivery

The book consists of eleven of the most important writings of Anders Chydenius, an eighteenth century pioneer of freedom and democracy. Thematically they touch upon subject areas such as the freedom of trade and industry, emigration, the monetary system of the Swedish realm in the eighteenth century, the freedom of the press (or as Chydenius said: the freedom of writing and printing), the freedom of information, the rights of the rural working class and the freedom of religion. The book also includes a comprehensive biography of Chydenius written by Lars Magnusson together with commentaries and explanatory notes to each text.

With an approach based on political culture and identity, this book demonstrates the current pressures and shifting priorities that confront Japan's government and people, as they attempt to carve out a new international role.