The fact why the book "The end of overeating" by David A. Kessler is considered a bestseller becomes evident from the very first page. The author provides the reader with rather pressing issues, which are perceived very easily. The proposals are not very complicated; hence, the material is presented very succinctly. Kessler presents the up-to-date problems regarding overeating and excess weight in a facile manner. From the very first chapter of his book, he interests the reader to the point that s/he wants to read it all at once. His approach to the problem of overweight can be defined as unique, as he presents the scientific evidence so easily that even a schoolchild can understand the subject matter. In addition, the doctor uses an entertaining technique of associations, adding to it a bit of humor and irony. Anyway, this book should be read not because someone said so, but because it is useful. First, David A. Kessler offers the knowing, i.e. a valuable research experience. Anyone who starts to read this book probably will not be able to stop and, as a result, will not regret the spent time. The author begins the story describing the usual course of eating the food and points out that nothing has changed in the process for thousands of years. A human eats a lot of different food that is processed into millions of calories and gives a person the necessary energy for existence. Later, Kessler starts stating the main problems. Interestingly, this problem affects the researcher of the nutrition problems Katherine Flegal, who discovered a very interesting and, as it turned out, "tragic" statistics related to the increase in obesity among the one-third of the US population during the 1980-90ss. The author makes a brief introduction to the issue in the first chapter, continuing his investigation in the subsequent second chapter.
In the second chapter, Kessler dwells upon the problem in more detail and this is where the most interesting begins. As it turned out, the main problem of obesity is the food itself, but rather its excessive use. The author refers to a number of the researchers in the field of neurology and indicates the type of information gathering. Thanks to the obtained data on the way two groups of people fed, it was found out that people with overweight used to eat more than the slim ones did; moreover, the first group burned more calories than the second one did. Later, the author points to a process such as homeostasis, which is a kind of weight control for each person. This process consists of the relation of many parts of the human body including brain, hypothalamus, esophagus, and hormonal levels. The second chapter ends with the author's example of the experiments on animals, in which an electric field was applied. Kessler points to the fact that the animals tolerated the current level of shock at a certain impact on some parts of the hypothalamus even if they were not hungry. The problem statement ends in the rhetorical question on the possibility of invisible effects on the human brain, which causes people to eat more.
Precisely, this book can be considered as non-fiction, as its information concerns quite complex processes both in human body and mind; however, the author tends to simplify the complex notions and terms, making the material more accessible for every reader. Summarizing, this book can become an indispensible guide for those who have just started their acquaintance with the problems of obesity and overeating. The first chapters of this factual book indicate Kessler's excellent ability to collect and combine the materials of the long-term research, and most notably, make the scientific information accessible to a wide audience.
Work Cited
Kessler, David A. The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite. Emmaus, Pa: Rodale, 2009. Print.
