栄養学・栄養指導と健康食品

The need for medical treatment is expected to increase in aged society, but in many cases itmay not improve the quality of life. Therefore, the goal of nutritional consultation is to improve ormaintain quality of life before medical treatment is required. It is proposed that foods have threefunctions. The primary function is a nutritional function, which is essential to human survival.The secondary function is a sensory function involving both flavor and texture to satisfy sensoryneeds. The tertiary function is physiological functions such as regulation of biorhythms, control ofaging, the immune system, and body defense. The project defined a functional food as a foodhaving some tertiary function. Functional food is aimed at maintaining quality of life, andpreventing as well as treating a growing number of life style related diseases.