Nutrition – total and phenomenal

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The French ethnologist and sociologist Marcel maus (1872–1950) described nutrition as a “total phenomenon”, as “nutrition is interweaved into society to such an extent that it is no longer recognizable” ([1], cited in [2]). It follows that a scientific journal on nutrition may not neglect any aspect of this total phenomenon and must trace the individual threads in the weave – particularly if the journal bears the title Ernährungs Umschau. A glance at the list of contents for 2017 ( www.ernaehrungs-umschau.de > Fachzeitschrift) shows that the editorial office and editors of Ernährungs Umschau take this duty seriously.

The spectrum of the themes may be wide, but the quality of the submitted manuscripts is so good that we can tackle the variety of subphenomena. We range from physiological issues related to the sense of taste to the dissemination of nutrition apps, from approaches to treating obesity to insects as food, or the legal framework for the introduction of new food products. In the course of our 64 years, there has probably been no nutritional topic that we have not addressed and discussed. 

Thus Ernährungs Umschau offers an important forum in which scientists and opinion leaders in the many different subspecialties of nutrition can present their results, familiarize themselves with the results of other subspecialties and – most importantly – initiate professional discussions. The full texts have been available in English for many years and this magnifies the international influence of all articles in the section on Science & Research. The discussion often starts when the article is being reviewed. For example, there may be a conflict between scientific approaches (which may be very strict) and sociological issues. It may also become clear that not all nutritional problems are susceptible to evidence-based analysis – for methodological or sociological reasons.

Nutritional research must learn to live with this – fruitful – cut and thrust between the disciplines, as nutrition cannot be abstracted or reduced to arbitrary secondary issues or exclusively studied in vitro, without forfeiting the relevance or the transferability of the results of research to real human life. This relevance of nutritional research for daily nutritional practice is the reason that most of our subscribers to what is now the 65th volume have become long-term readers who are always eager to learn more.

The publishers, the editorial office and the editors would like to thank you for your encouragement. We regard this as an incentive to continue to provide you with a wide variety of excellent and current articles on nutritional themes.

DOI: 10.4455/eu.2018.001

References:
1. Mauss M. Die Gabe: Form und Funktion des Austausches in archaischen Gesellschaften. Frankfurt/M., Suhrkamp (1968), S. 17–18 
2. Dr. Ulrich Oltersdorf – Ernährungsdenkwerkstatt. URL: http://ernaehrungsdenkwerkstatt.de/keller/kartei/totalphaenomen.html Zugriff 15.12.17 

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