General conditions in the severely ill General metabolic effects and treatments Assessment prools General nutritional aspects Specific nutrients Adverse aspects The next two volumes Enteral Aspects and Parenteral Aspects contain the following sections: General aspects and methods Specific conditions Adverse aspects and outcomes Comparisons or dual parenteral and enteral support or transitions Preclinical studies The authors recognise the limitations in simplistic divisions and there is always difficulty in categorising treatment regimens. For example, some regimens involve transitions from one feeding prool to another or the development of co-morbid conditions and in some cases enteral support may be supplemented with parenteral support. This complexity however, is addressed by the excellent indexing system. Contributors are authors of international and national standing, leaders in the field and trendsetters. Emerging fields of