Rich in back up material, charts, graphs and scientific data this book remains immensely readable – and it is a very important contribution to Public Health (meaning us!). LoadingEuropean author Alessandro Boccaletti, earned his BS and MBA from New York University and is a researcher and science-novel writer. His interests and writings are focused on pharmacology and its many facets (good and evil) and on health with a special emphasis on health trends (good and evil). In this short book he addresses a subject that could not be more timely – the obesity epidemic – a topic of concern, ridicule, and contemporary fascination with television shows parading ads for Big People as commercials for their comedies about obese characters. It is time for a learned writer to address this disturbing trend in expanding waistlines and BMIs and that is precisely hat makes BIG FAT AMERICAN LION such an important - and entertaining! – book for all to read.The flavor of the book is established in Alessandro’s fine Introduction – ‘Here we start this exploration that will take you step by step down a road to clearly understanding the words “fat,” “overweight,” and “obese” in a global perspective. After reading this book, you will be able to better understand these conditions and what you can do to improve your lifestyle. You are the only game changer in your own life, and only you can decide on the best way to improve your lifestyle. In this book, you will discover some proven techniques, and you may be surprised to see that, most of the time, nature gives us all the tools we need to improve our lifestyles. The big pharmaceutical companies call obesity an “epidemic,” and new products keep coming on the market, driving you to spend your hard-earned money on their latest chemical or biological achievements. When you take medication, you decide to occasionally or regularly absorb into your body a synthetically produced chemical product that could even worsen your physical condition in the long run— there are always some possible side effects. Actually, our bodies are natural miracles in themselves, and most of the time they adapt to the current internal and external environments. A healthier lifestyle is better than a thousand medicines. You need to realize that the pharmaceutical companies, with their billions in cash, exist to make a profit. They have shareholders and high-salaried management to pay, and they need clients’ or consumers’ money for their corporate interests. The financial game can be summarized in four words: Product, Price, Place, Promotion. The principle is that a new product must be sold at a certain price, in places where sales and profit are maximized, and by using the best promotional media tools. To the consumer, the product is often presented as a miracle cure, and it carries an intrinsic high price due to its advertised properties. But the basic reality is that there is a seller and a buyer, so just try to be careful out there. Many times there are no shortcuts, and there are many illusory traps. The choice to feel better is yours alone, and I will try in this short guide to help you in this process by making complex issues simpler and more understandable. Basic knowledge and education are essential in tackling the obesity epidemic.’Then Alessandro gets down to the basics - Our Big, Fat World (dissecting obesity and BMI), The Big, Fat United States of America Obesity (‘About 35 percent of the population is obese. Almost 68 percent is considered overweight), Management and Weight-Loss Strategies (Obesity currently accounts for national health-care costs of more than $ 210 billion a year. Obesity is costlier to the US health-care system than smoking),and The Future(We live in a fat world, a world of abundance, where goods and food are generally available, and changing life conditions, changing living standards, and changing consumer habits drive individuals to eat badly, often, and without limits. Easily available food, loaded with taste stimulants and additives, triggers chemical responses in the body that stimulate the consumer to eat more).

Rich in back up material, charts, graphs and scientific data this book remains immensely readable – and it is a very important contribution to Public Health (meaning us!). High recommended. Grady Harp, April 17

A concise, informative look at the problem of obesity and the factors that make it a rapidly growing epidemic. 

A short debut guide presents the common causes, complications, and cultural norms surrounding weight issues. Without preaching, Boccaletti supplies facts and statistical studies dealing with the causes of obesity and severe weight problems. He aims to reach a general audience with clear, accessible information. From the beginning, the book highlights the importance of instilling healthy habits early, as the author notes that when children consume extra calories, they develop additional fat cells that can never be lost. Adults only shrink and grow the fat cells already existing in the body, making it important to manage weight from an early age. The book covers strategies to keep the body hydrated and the metabolism functioning healthily, such as drinking water and eating nonprocessed foods like cucumbers, spices,and other whole vegetables and fruits. This volume is appropriate for anyone interested in a broad overview of the issues surrounding obesity, including disorders that stem from severe weight gain, like diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. The author provides historical and geographical data, such as the countries of the world with the highest body mass indexes per capita, noting shocking statistics, such as the fact that the United States is 68 percent overweight or obese, compared to 38 percent of the worldwide. The book doesn’t just deliver facts, but also suggestions that are practical and simple,such as getting outside for a few hours a day to garden or walk, sticking to natural foods, and reducing salt and sugar. But the author reinforces that the most important tool a person possesses for maintaining health is frequent movement. The author, with extensive corporate experience, also highlights the tactics companies use to advertise and lure consumers toward eating large amounts of processed foods. At times, parts of the book are a bit simplistic, such as explanations of how businesses profit from marking up products and remain driven by profit, not human benefit. But the vast majority of the guide supplies well-researched data that a reader can use to understand the impacts and causes of corpulence in the United States and beyond.

A concise, informative look at the problem of obesity and the factors that make it a rapidly growing epidemic.