graceishuman 's review for:

Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss--and the Myths and Realities of Dieting by Gina Kolata

3.0

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A bit scattered but good survey of the research available on weight and obesity at the time of writing. Author's genuine attempt at a fair and evidence based take on weight and weight loss is hampered by resistance to following the very research she summarizes to logical and humanistic conclusions. If most people classified as overweight or obese can never sustain thinness (as what counts as "thin" is thinner than ever before) it's odd at best to conclude they should nevertheless spend their entire lives trying to lose weight. The obsession with obesity is not *really* about health; if it were, no one would harangue fat people who are eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and metabolically healthy to lose weight. That conclusion is right within her grasp but frustratingly ungrasped. Instead she says fat people should do all of the above *and also* strive to lose weight for their entire adult lives, until they die, for as yet to be demonstrated health benefits. Yikes.