The End of Overeating…

Just last week, Mrs. Michelle Obama announced the launch of her new initiative “Let’s Move” aimed at revamping the way American children eat and play — reshaping school lunches, playgrounds and even medical checkups — with the goal of eliminating childhood obesity within a generation. I applaud her efforts, this is exactly the kind of initiative we need if we want to see change. But it can’t end here.
We find ourselves in a society where portions are out of control and convenience or access to poor choice foods is abundant. Here are the facts: More than 66 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta. I’m sure as you read this you find yourself just as disheartened as me.

Which is why I wanted to share an excellent read by Former FDA Commissioner David Kessler with you: “The End of Overeating?” I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it, although it is not a quick read.

If nothing else, be sure to check out the “Food Industry” chapter where he interviews experts in the field as well as former executives of major national food chains and provides some fantastic quotes and findings, like these:

• The secrets of Cinnabon … The buns are made with 3 different kinds of sugars, and salt to “bring up the flavor” and fat for the “creamy texture, elasticity and richness”. (p74)

• One interesting interview with an industry expert, when asked if the healthy options supplied in the menus were selling well, responded “who cares? ... You’re going to build your image” (p131)

Here is a brief summary provided by the publisher as posted on Amazon.com: “Most of us know what it feels like to fall under the spell of food when one slice of pizza turns into half a pie, or a handful of chips leads to an empty bag. But it’s harder to understand why we can't seem to stop eating even when we know better. When we want so badly to say "no," why do we continue to reach for food?

Dr. David Kessler, the dynamic former FDA commissioner who reinvented the food label and tackled the tobacco industry, now reveals how the food industry has hijacked the brains of millions of Americans. Dr. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat, and salt.

Food manufacturers create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a nation of overeaters. The End of Overeating explains for the first time why it is exceptionally difficult to resist certain foods and why it s so easy to overindulge.

Dr. Kessler met with top scientists, physicians, and food industry insiders. The End of Overeating uncovers the shocking facts about how we lost control over our eating habits and how we can get it back. Dr. Kessler presents groundbreaking research, along with what is sure to be a controversial view inside the industry that continues to feed a nation of overeaters from popular brand manufacturers to advertisers, chain restaurants, and fast food franchises.

For the millions of people struggling with weight as well as for those of us who simply don't understand why we can't seem to stop eating our favorite foods, Dr. Kessler s cutting-edge investigation offers new insights and helpful tools to help us find a solution.

There has never been a more thorough, compelling, or in-depth analysis of why we eat the way we do. He talks about how our actions become habits which are embedded in our brains so it becomes easier to continue and harder to break from that pattern (like brushing your teeth without thinking about it or tying your shoelaces while carrying on a conversations OR driving home and picking up a coffee and muffin on the way OR having dessert every night). It all becomes easier and more repetitive and harder to change.”

Pick it up at the library or go to Amazon. Let me know what you think.