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djbularzik's review against another edition
4.0
Finally someone calls out noom for being the repackaged eating disorder it is
jhazen's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book informational, enlightening, and easy to read. It described an experience that I've endured since around the age of 8. The wit and knowledge of the author entertain and inform and make the material in the book totally relatable. Interlaced throughout the narrative are facts and data about eating disorders, the diet culture, and the inequity in getting help. Every woman who diets or worries about her weight should read this book.
pillswor's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
I didn't think I'd like this. I thought there was no way anyone would really understand my own personal struggle or be able to capture every aspect of it. Holy f*** did Cole do exactly that and more. I have never felt so seen, comforted, and inspired before. Read this book. Seriously. Even if you don't have an eating disorder. Read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder and Mental illness
gremlin175's review against another edition
5.0
Takes the onus off the individual and looks at the bigger picture. Most helpful thing I’ve read since I started eating disorder recovery.
babyskillet's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Such an interesting read about disordered eating. Loved the new perspective it gave me.
megsginell's review against another edition
4.0
What’s Eating Us
Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety
By: Cole Kazdin
St. Martin’s Essentials
Publication date: March 7, 2023
TW- Eating disorder behaviors described, numbers
What’s Eating Us by Cole Kazdin is a deep dive into the epidemic of eating disorders, disordered eating, diet culture and self-image issues that are so prevalent in our society.
Kazdin, a journalist, uses investigative reporting and her own personal struggle with an eating disorder to try to make sense of this far-reaching problem.
This book is deeply personal. By the way Cole Kazdin is writing, she seems like someone you would want to be friends with. There was joy in reading Kazdin’s words, hope, humor interspersed throughout the grim facts.
I really appreciate Kazdin’s struggle for complete recovery. (As I, too, have struggled with an eating disorder for 2 decades.) Once you have an eating disorder long enough, it seems impossible to fully recover. Your “mental scaffolding is delicate” and the ED lies in wait “like an assassin.” Boy, is that true. Just when you think you’re doing well, one trigger can unravel it all. Furthermore, there is no standard of care for eating disorders. They are incredibly hard to treat. (If you’re lucky enough to get treatment at all.)
Every 52 minutes someone dies from an eating disorder. By the age of 6, little girls are worrying about their bodies, their weight. The message women receive from society is that it is better to be thin than alive. This is a cultural problem. There’s even a name for it- “normative discontent”- a term that describes how prevalent body dissatisfaction is for women. It’s so common it has become the norm. This is why it is so important for everyone to read this book, not just eating disorder sufferers, not just women. After all, all of our experiences are bound together.
I thought this book was very well researched, covering new treatment ideas to maintain a lasting recovery, as well fertility, intersectionality, and the kind of activism needed to effect change in our society. There is a great list of resources in the back of the book, and we’re introduced to people in the community who are making a difference. Truly an important book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Cole Kazdin, and St Martin’s Essentials for the opportunity to read and review this work.
Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety
By: Cole Kazdin
St. Martin’s Essentials
Publication date: March 7, 2023
TW- Eating disorder behaviors described, numbers
What’s Eating Us by Cole Kazdin is a deep dive into the epidemic of eating disorders, disordered eating, diet culture and self-image issues that are so prevalent in our society.
Kazdin, a journalist, uses investigative reporting and her own personal struggle with an eating disorder to try to make sense of this far-reaching problem.
This book is deeply personal. By the way Cole Kazdin is writing, she seems like someone you would want to be friends with. There was joy in reading Kazdin’s words, hope, humor interspersed throughout the grim facts.
I really appreciate Kazdin’s struggle for complete recovery. (As I, too, have struggled with an eating disorder for 2 decades.) Once you have an eating disorder long enough, it seems impossible to fully recover. Your “mental scaffolding is delicate” and the ED lies in wait “like an assassin.” Boy, is that true. Just when you think you’re doing well, one trigger can unravel it all. Furthermore, there is no standard of care for eating disorders. They are incredibly hard to treat. (If you’re lucky enough to get treatment at all.)
Every 52 minutes someone dies from an eating disorder. By the age of 6, little girls are worrying about their bodies, their weight. The message women receive from society is that it is better to be thin than alive. This is a cultural problem. There’s even a name for it- “normative discontent”- a term that describes how prevalent body dissatisfaction is for women. It’s so common it has become the norm. This is why it is so important for everyone to read this book, not just eating disorder sufferers, not just women. After all, all of our experiences are bound together.
I thought this book was very well researched, covering new treatment ideas to maintain a lasting recovery, as well fertility, intersectionality, and the kind of activism needed to effect change in our society. There is a great list of resources in the back of the book, and we’re introduced to people in the community who are making a difference. Truly an important book.
Thanks to NetGalley, Cole Kazdin, and St Martin’s Essentials for the opportunity to read and review this work.
mbincolor's review against another edition
DNF. Decided to put it down at about 50%.
I would highly recommend this title for those interested in eating disorders and recovery, as well as those interested in statistics on eating disorders, diets, health care disparities, and related myths.
I couldn’t relate to the author’s experience with bulimia, which is a heavy focus in the book. I wish there was an indication that bulimia is a large part of the narrative here. That being said, the stories she shares about bulimia and recovery are enlightening and important.
What's Eating Us is well researched. I especially appreciate the link between eating disorders and mental illness, and how it can affect recovery. There’s a lot of great information here, so I hope I'm not being offensive stating that if you are looking for more general information, you'll need to skim for the more broad gems here.
I would highly recommend this title for those interested in eating disorders and recovery, as well as those interested in statistics on eating disorders, diets, health care disparities, and related myths.
I couldn’t relate to the author’s experience with bulimia, which is a heavy focus in the book. I wish there was an indication that bulimia is a large part of the narrative here. That being said, the stories she shares about bulimia and recovery are enlightening and important.
What's Eating Us is well researched. I especially appreciate the link between eating disorders and mental illness, and how it can affect recovery. There’s a lot of great information here, so I hope I'm not being offensive stating that if you are looking for more general information, you'll need to skim for the more broad gems here.