Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth about Your Weight

Good Science, Good Message

Health At Every Size / 978-1-935-61828-7 This wonderful book is a must-read for everyone interested in the truth behind weight and health. Even people familiar with Health At Every Size (HAES) concepts will find valuable information here. In this novel, scientist Linda Bacon uses her engaging tone to present valuable research that shows that individual weight ranges are largely determined by genetics, that Americans are only slightly heavier (and some inches taller!) on average than we used to be, and the majority of claims of an "obesity epidemic" are overblown for political and industry reasons. Taking on both the public and the private sector, Bacon shows how government education (think the controversial "food pyramid") can and is hijacked by special interests and lobbyists, and how industry practice is legally driven to maximize profit even at the expense of customer health. If all that sounds negative, it might surprise you to hear that "Health At Every Size" is an incredibly positive book. After showing that weight is largely out of the control of an individual, and carefully explaining why the "experts" who claim otherwise (based on industry needs rather than actual science) are wrong, Bacon then carefully explains why the most important thing a person can do for their health is to eat a variety of foods, listen carefully to their body's hunger and satisfaction signals, and - above all else, and for surprisingly sound scientific reasons! - to choose foods that they enjoy! Going into this book, I had already been exposed to HAES philosophy online, so I wasn't sure if this book would have any new material for me, but I deeply enjoyed this book and found it to be very helpful. Bacon is clear and easy to read and understand; her concepts are outlined and the book is easy to navigate either for a single read-through, or when coming back to look for remembered snippets later. Her science is sound and her methods are well-documented, and it's encouraging to see someone so right and yet so open to being proved wrong. In addition to HAES philosophy, there's also a good deal of useful information for "re-training" your tastebuds to enjoy more variety if the reader chooses - for example, I have never, ever liked the taste of whole wheat breads but have always felt that my body needs more fiber intake; Bacon's book was the first book I've read that provided useful, helpful information for how to adjust to a taste that, before this, I had truly hated. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone. ~ Ana Mardoll

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Excellent book - very informative

Linda Bacon presents a powerful argument against dieting and efforts to control weight. She uses countless resources, scientific studies, and personal accounts to present her case. She also reinforces defines health regardless of weight, addressing the many changes people can make to improve their lives that promote self-esteem along with physical health. I am becoming more and more familiar with the Health at Every Size movement as it is very intuitive and self-empowering instead of the self-depricating pressures to be thin. I have begun to incorporate this into my personal routines as well as my professional life as a social worker.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good information :) Slow reading :(

The first half of this book focuses on the background, science and politics of the author's opinion. It is very slow reading. The theory is good and well researched. The second half of the book is very good information and it is working for me.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Well-researched and documented advice

If you're like many people, you feel you need to lose weight, and you've tried more than one diet over your lifetime. Some may have been successful-for a while-but you always return to your original weight, or higher. You're frustrated and feel like a failure, but yet you keep trying. It's the only way you'll be healthy, right? "Wrong!" says Linda Bacon.

In this unexpected look at our battle with the bulge, author Linda Bacon, Ph.D. proves that weight may have very little to do with health. And in fact, studies show that those who are overweight may be healthier than people maintaining a weight society deems ideal.

Health at Every Size shows us how our diet culture is controlled by those who have a very strong economic motivation to keep us chasing a lower weight. But rather than focusing on the numbers on the scale, Bacon introduces the idea of trusting our bodies to eat what feels right, while focusing on foods that are good for us. Not calorie counting, but a common-sense approach to eating naturally according to body cues.

If you've finally decided it's time to make peace with your body and love it just as it is, Health at Every Size will be a breath of fresh air. And if you haven't, this well-written and well-documented book might just convince you.

Reviewer: Alice Berger, Bergers Book Reviews

Very informative

This book describes the weight loss industry and how it attacks self esteem and what the reality is of your weight. Studies have been showing that people with a BMI of 30 to 35 which is considered obese are actually living longer and healthier than those who fall in the correct weight category. I liked hearing the statistics and the reality about weight because every women on both sides of my family has been at least a size 14 and on both sides they usually live to their mid 90's. I knew something was up with those height and weight charts!

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