To pursue a strategy of nutritional therapy, the assumption is that things routinely go wrong with food-body interactions. The non-nutrient structure of food is relevant to the consideration of the total interaction of food with body systems.

A key question in rethinking nutrition is: "What role do foods have in body dynamics while they are broken down into carbohydrates, fats and proteins?" This is a challenging question and proves to be difficult to answer. This re-examination introduces many inconvenient complications. In the first instance, there is an overburden of non-nutritional substances in food.

Changes in the quality if the food supply and the role of food additives and toxic contaminants are factors to be considered. Changes in eating behaviors and food combinations have occurred rapidly in the past few decades with unknown consequences and the eclectic eating habits of many modern citizens ranges from the whimsical and bizarre to frankly pathological eating patterns. Aberrations in eating behaviors are now common enough to be considered "normal" and the traditional three-meals a day ideal postulated by dietitians has all but vanished from the culture.