Fæðuöflun

Fæðuöflun is the Icelandic term for nutrition, the study and practice of how organisms obtain, digest, absorb, and metabolize nutrients from food to support growth, energy, and health. It encompasses eating patterns, nutrient adequacy, and the quality of a diet across the life course. Nutrition includes macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, along with dietary fiber and water. It also recognizes bioactive compounds and the role of food matrices in health. Adequate fæðuöflun depends on both intake and the body's ability to utilize nutrients, and it is influenced by age, sex, health status, culture, economics, and lifestyle.

Digestive and metabolic processes underlie fæðuöflun. Food is broken down in the digestive tract, nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream, and cells metabolize them to produce energy, build and repair tissues, and regulate bodily functions. Energy needs are typically expressed in kilocalories (or kilojoules), and energy balance affects body weight and composition.

In health and public health, fæðuöflun informs dietary guidelines, fortification and supplementation strategies, and interventions to prevent deficiencies, obesity, and chronic disease. Nutrition assessment methods—such as dietary recalls, food frequency questionnaires, and biomarkers—help evaluate intake and status. Individual recommendations and policies aim to support healthy, culturally appropriate, and sustainable eating patterns.