Over the past one hundred fifty years, nutritional science has evolved from the identification of essential nutrients responsible for classic deficiencies into a multidisciplinary field. Landmark discoveries in biochemical nutrition resulted in numerous Nobel laureates but also reshaped past and current global health policies and clinical practices. Despite these advances, fundamental aspects of nutrition remain dubious to the general public, even though the diet is a constant and unavoidable component of our daily life. In commemoration of the American Society of Chemistry’s 150th anniversary, this perspective reflects on the major conceptual advances that have shaped the nutrition science field over the past century and a half. It also explores the limitations of current paradigms and considers emerging directions that are likely to redefine how nutrition is studied and applied in the decades ahead.
Jaume Amengual (Mon,) studied this question.