Fat of the Land
The Obesity Epidemic and How Overweight Americans Can Help Themselves
(amazon)Michael Fumento (View Bio)
Hardcover: Viking, 1997; Paperback: Penguin, 1998.
"Highly recommended." — Library Journal (starred review)
"Everyone who has been fighting the battle of the bulge should read this book. Then go out and burn your other diet books." — San Antonio Express News
"Entertaining, intelligent, and comprehensive." — Detroit News
"Those familiar with Fumento's previous two books (SCIENCE UNDER SIEGE and THE MYTH OF HETEROSEXUAL AIDS) know that this medical journalist has a knack for debunking popular beliefs and revealing the true state of things. While this candid approach has incited controversy before, the author's tone here is too likable to provoke the ire of even those groups he is most critical of: the food manufacturers that flood the market with low-fat (but highly caloric and sugar laden) snacks, the pro-obesity groups that deny the serious health risks associated with excess body weight and the expensive diet books and programs that are little more than modern day quackery. It's hard to doubt the author's conclusions; not only has he examined most of the studies, but he has even used himself as the guinea pig in experiments with various weight-control methods. Fumento has maintained a 25-pound weight loss by practicing the common-sense plan he ultimately preaches: get plenty of exercise, eat only when hungry and maintain a high-fiber diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fumento is a rational man, but that doesn't mean he's dry. In fact, he's a sharp and witty writer who isn't afraid to joke around." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
