David's review
Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss--and the Myths and Realities of Dieting
by Gina Kolata
David's review
Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss--and the Myths and Realities of Dieting by Gina Kolata
David's review
rating:
recommended for: woodburners
The author describes, over several chapters, the history of dieting and obesity studies. These sections are fascinating.
But the majority of the book is flawed. The author "follows" the subjects of a diet study performed at Penn State. I am not sure why this particular diet study was chosen--but the choice was a preordained failure. The study compared two-year trials of two poor diets--the Atkins diet and a low-calorie diet named "LEARN". Why did she not choose a diet study that holds more promise?
There are diet-lifestyle approaches out there that work--wonderful books have been written on them, by John McDougall, Colin Campbell, Tom Robbins, Caldwell Esselstyn, Dean Ornish, Gabe Mirkin, Joel Fuhrman, and others. These approaches are backed by a growing body of high-quality scientific research. Why did Kolata neglect to mention any of them? Why did she focus on the approaches that are well known not to work?
But the majority of the book is flawed. The author "follows" the subjects of a diet study performed at Penn State. I am not sure why this particular diet study was chosen--but the choice was a preordained failure. The study compared two-year trials of two poor diets--the Atkins diet and a low-calorie diet named "LEARN". Why did she not choose a diet study that holds more promise?
There are diet-lifestyle approaches out there that work--wonderful books have been written on them, by John McDougall, Colin Campbell, Tom Robbins, Caldwell Esselstyn, Dean Ornish, Gabe Mirkin, Joel Fuhrman, and others. These approaches are backed by a growing body of high-quality scientific research. Why did Kolata neglect to mention any of them? Why did she focus on the approaches that are well known not to work?
