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Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It Kindle Edition

4.6 out of 5 stars 7,392

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Award-winning science journalist Taubes follows his Good Calories, Bad Calories (2007) with this eminently more reader-friendly explanation of the dangers of dietary carbohydrates. If the USDA dietary guidelines—recommending that highly caloric grains and carbohydrates comprise 45 to 65 percent of daily caloric intake—are so healthy, why, he asks, has obesity among Americans been on the upswing? Why has this same diet, endorsed by the American Heart Association, not managed to reduce the incidence of heart disease? And, finally, he asks why mainstream health experts continue to promote the notably unscientific notion of “calories in/calories out” as the single focus of weight management? After explaining in layperson’s terms the science that debunks the idea that weight control is a matter of burning more calories than one consumes, Taubes offers an alternative viewpoint: no carbs. While his recommendation to eliminate carbohydrates (grains, fruits, sugars, etc.) from one’s diet is not necessarily a new one, Taubes does present compelling supporting evidence that many, if not all, people should consider at least severely limiting carbohydrates in their diet. --Donna Chavez

Review

“Well-researched and thoughtful . . . Reconsidering how our diet affects our bodies, how we might modify it to be healthier, and being less harsh with those who struggle with their weight are all worthy goals. Taubes has done us a great service by bringing these issues to the table.”
-Dennis Rosen,
The Boston Globe

“Less dense and easier to read [than
Good Calories, Bad Calories] but no less revelatory.”
-Jeff Baker,
The Oregonian

“Taubes’s critique is so pointed and vociferous that reading him will change the way you look at calories, the food pyramid, and your daily diet.”
-
Men’s Journal

“Important . . . This excellent book, built on sound research and common sense, contains essential information.”
-Larry Cox,
Tucson Citizen

“Aggressive . . . An exhaustive investigation.”
-Casey Schwartz,
The Daily Beast

“Passionate and urgent . . . Backed by a persuasive amount of detail . . . As an award-winning scientific journalist who spent the past decade rigorously tracking down and assimilating obesity research, he’s uniquely qualified to understand and present the big picture of scientific opinions and results. Despite legions of researchers and billions of government dollars expended, Taubes is the one to painstakingly compile this information, assimilate it, and make it available to the public . . . Taubes does the important and extraordinary work of pulling it all together for us.”
...

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B003WUYOQ6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Anchor; Reprint edition (December 28, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 28, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4423 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 273 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 7,392

About the author

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Gary Taubes
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Gary Taubes is an investigative science and health journalist and co-founder of the non-profit Nutrition Science Initiative (NuSI.org). He is the author of Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It and Good Calories, Bad Calories (The Diet Delusion in the UK). Taubes is the recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research, and has won numerous other awards for his journalism. These include the International Health Reporting Award from the Pan American Health Organization and the National Association of Science Writers Science in Society Journalism Award, which he won in 1996, 1999 and 2001. (He is the first print journalist to win this award three times.) Taubes graduated from Harvard College in 1977 with an S.B. degree in applied physics, and received an M.S. degree in engineering from Stanford University (1978) and in journalism from Columbia University (1981).

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
7,392 global ratings
An awesome book that really delves deep into nutrition for the lay person
5 Stars
An awesome book that really delves deep into nutrition for the lay person
Great overview of how people underestimate the cause of fat accumulation. This book provides an argument as to why the in/out method--while easily believable at first--is wrong. This book does a good job at laying it out in terms that everyone can understand. It is an easier-to-read Good Calories Bad Calories. Even if you have read Good Calories Bad Calories, you will most likely get something out of this book--even if it is just a more solid understanding of the same arguments put forward in Good Calories Bad Calories.As a result of being written for a more lay audience, this book is not as well cited. Scientists can read Good Calorie Bad Calories to get the same knowledge presented here that is also backed up with exhaustive citations.Dimensions of the book can be seen in the photos I have attached.Pros:*Easier to read*Still very informativeCons:*NoneOverall: 5/5 stars (>=.5 rounds up, <.5 rounds down) => 5 starsIf you have any further questions regarding the product in my review please leave a comment below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2011
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5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful
Reviewed in India on January 29, 2024
scott
5.0 out of 5 stars good information
Reviewed in Australia on January 12, 2024
Mark Fox
5.0 out of 5 stars I finally understand
Reviewed in Japan on March 2, 2021
José Carlos Brasil Peixoto
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Reviewed in Brazil on December 20, 2014
2 people found this helpful
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Wiemer Snijders
5.0 out of 5 stars Solid and convincing
Reviewed in the Netherlands on May 11, 2016
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