Food Fight: The Inside Story of The Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It - Softcover

Brownell, Kelly

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071438726 ISBN 13: 9780071438728

Publisher: McGraw Hill, 2004

Synopsis

"The evergreen subject of American gluttony and sloth brings out the best in scientist-advocates, and the authors, while drawing on a mountain of statistics and studies, make their indictment both funny and appalling."
--Publishers Weekly

"Brownell and Horgen uncover some of America's biggest diet hazards and how to avoid them."
--Self magazine

"This is a fascinating, empowering must-read filled with practical ways to take action."
--Shape magazine

"Food Fight is . . . an important contribution to the discourse around the obesity epidemic. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn more about the role of the food industry, and especially to public health advocates looking for clearly presented research and ideas for positive change."
--Michele Simon, founder and director of the Center for Informed Food Choices

About this title

From the Publisher:

Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., is one of the nation's best-known experts on nutrition and weight disorders. He is a psychology professor at Yale University and the director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders. He regularly appears in the media as an expert on obesity, nutrition, and eating disorders.

Katherine Battle Horgen, Ph.D. , is on the staff at the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders.

From the Back Cover:

The most penetrating look yet at the enemy--the toxic food environment--and the havoc it is wreaking on the health of our nation

"Food Fight is a blueprint for the nation taking action on the obesity crisis. In his analysis, Brownell is balanced but bold, courageous and creative. A public health landmark."
--David A. Kessler, M.D., Dean, Yale School of Medicine, Former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration

"We are indeed involved in a food fight. It is a fight for the health of America--especially our children. This book provides much of the necessary ammunition to win this fight."
--David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., former Surgeon General, Director of the National Center for Primary Care, Morehouse School of Medicine

"Provides a compelling approach to reverse the obesity epidemic now gripping our nation. Anyone concerned about this crisis, and that should include all Americans, will find this book enlightening."
--Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., Chair, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health

"Food Fight is a very informative, provocative, and well-written account of the role of food in the growing public health problem of obesity. I highly recommend it."
--Steven N. Blair, P.E.D., President and CEO, The Cooper Institute

"Food Fight rings the alarm to enlist Americans in an effort to protect children from the 'toxic environment' that is leading to skyrocketing rates of obesity and other health problems."
--Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center for Science in the Public Interest

"Kelly Brownell and colleagues were among the first to sound the alarm, that an increasingly "toxic environment" puts everyone, and especially children, at risk for obesity. Food Fight enters the front lines in the battle between public health and private profit."
--David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Obesity Program, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School

A staggering 65 percent of Americans are overweight. Obesity now surpasses smoking in health-care costs and impact on chronic illness and is on the rise in every country in the world. It is spurred on by thousands of years of evolution that have crafted humans into beings that seek out sugar, fat, and calories and is caused by a toxic food environment that offers up food as never before. Food is available virtually everywhere and at any time. It is cheap, sold in ways to maximize consumption, engineered with fat, sugar, and flavors to exploit our biological urges, and pushed relentlessly by powerful companies that have influence at the highest levels of government.

The most startling victims are children. The food industry is granted free and unencumbered access to our children, creating conditions where even the most diligent parents have trouble fighting off the toxic influences. Because of this, today's children may be the first in American history to live shorter lives than their parents.

We are literally eating ourselves to death, and our government leaders have done almost nothing about it.

In Food Fight, Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., a world expert on obesity, nutrition, and eating disorders, reveals both the roots of the problem and what might be done. Along with coauthor Katherine Battle Horgen, Ph.D., he traces the subtle convergence of public indifference, corporate opportunism, and tradition that in a few short decades has transformed the American waistline and has created a tidal wave of disease. The authors offer an unflinching assessment of a culture that feeds its pets better than its children, manipulates children into poor eating habits with toy giveaways and in-school promotions, and makes it nearly impossible for the poor to be healthy.

But Food Fight offers good news, too. It is an inspiring call to action from one of the nation's most effective public-health advocates. Dr. Brownell outlines bold public policy initiatives for reversing the trend. He and Dr. Horgen describe steps individuals can take to help safeguard their own and their families' health. And they offer a workable plan for improving individual and family eating and exercise habits.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw Hill
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0071438726
• ISBN 13: 9780071438728
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 368