Reviews

What's Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety by Cole Kazdin

macgilliland's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

2.5

steffilietzke's review

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emotional funny informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0


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lorenita_victoria's review

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emotional funny informative inspiring slow-paced

4.5

sydneyhenshaw's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I really enjoyed this reading and feel like I learned so much from it. Like many of the non-fiction books I read, I think it expanded on some knowledge I already had and gave me perspectives I haven’t thought of which I really appreciate. I think it focused on really important topics like what really is a healthy weight, the body positivity movement versus diet culture, eating disorder research and recovery, etc. As well as focusing the conversation around fat people which I think is important with this subject. Though I do appreciate that there were still times to acknowledge that “skinny” women tend to struggle with their weight and body image too. My one critique is the judgement and negativity surrounding alternative medicine in this book. I think it’s okay to point out that alternative medicine is not evidence based and to point out the possible dangers but I think all-out excluding alternative medicine as a possibility for people is closed minded to say the least. Just because it can’t be proven by science doesn’t mean it won’t eventually be, it also can’t be disproven by science (depending on the specific practice obviously). 

binnybeenreading's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

hopestaron's review

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

trruuuudeee's review

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5.0

i caveat this review by acknowledging that this book could be triggering to those in recovery from/actively battling an eating disorder. while i don’t identify as such, i still feel like i got so much out of this book - from information about just how undeserved ED treatment is to the disparities of BIPOC women living with EDs to different steps to take to remedy disordered thoughts about your weight, i feel like any reader could get something from this book. the way the author used her personal experience and research to reframe some of the ways we think about our bodies absolutely made me reconsider my own relationship with my body and the questionable ways i’ve treated it in the past. easily one of my favorite non fictions this year. (coincidentally, i downloaded/started the Noom app the day before i started reading this because it’s a free benefit at work and i thought i’d see what it was all about and maybe trim down a bit. needless to say, i deleted the app pretty early into reading this book

afoxyone's review

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5.0

So informative! I have so much respect for the research, the honest perspective, and the deep dive into the culture of eating. Even if you haven’t experienced disordered eating, I feel like we’ve all been influenced by diet culture. I wish this book had been published before I went down the Noom rabbit hole of unhealth, but I am so glad others will have the opportunity to learn from the author’s experience and journalistic research.

cassreading's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

This was a great, nuanced exploration of diet culture and eating disorders, in all their inextricability. Kazdins own battle with anorexia and bulimia adds a personal touch that really makes this book Feel if you know what I mean.

I myself have never had an eating disorder, but I can see how someone with an ED could walk away from this book feeling really seen.

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sdowling's review

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challenging hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0