At first glance, this book could be mistaken as the abridged version of Nutrition in sport, which is the latest publication in the IOC Medical Commission’s Encyclopaedia in sports medicine and science series. Nutrition in sport is the definitive text on sports nutrition because all the relevant topics are covered by internationally recognised experts in the field. It is a delight for researchers and teachers because it provides authoritative, well written comprehensive reviews of the current literature on all the relevant topics in sports nutrition. So why bring out another text so quickly after the publication of Nutrition in sport? The answer is to help bridge the gap between principles and practice. This Handbook succeeds because it not only provides the reader with the essential background on the nutritional preparation for, the participation …