Fat Land
by Greg Critser
Penguin $105
Amid the hysteria about diet and obesity, it's refreshing to get the facts from a writer who's done his research. Greg Critser shows how political and economic developments since the 1970s have conspired to boost the calorie content of the average American's diet. High-fructose corn syrup and palm oil have become ubiquitous in convenience foods, and they're two of the most fattening concoctions known to man. Critser is dismissive of fad diets, arguing that the latest low-carb diets are a creation of the publishing industry looking for a new hook to sell books. He's also harsh on parental fears of anorexia, claiming the threat from obesity is far greater. His chapters on health problems associated with obesity are harrowing, as is much of this book, and for good reason: food will kill far more Americans this year than any terrorist could dream of taking out.