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Author:   Heather McLannahan (Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences, The Open University) ,  Pete Clifton (Professor of Psychology, University of Sussex, and Associate Lecturer, The Open University)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 21.10cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 26.40cm
Weight:   0.890kg
ISBN:  

9780199563371

ISBN 10:   0199563373
Pages:   272
Publication Date:   11 September 2008
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  College/higher education ,  Professional & Vocational ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

1 A GLOBAL CHALLENGE Introduction What is obesity? Measuring obesity The relationships between obesity and ill health The economic cost of obesity Who is most likely to become obese? Why have so many people become overweight and obese? Summary of Chapter 1 2 ENERGY: INTAKE AND NEEDS Introduction Energy intake What is a balanced diet? The chemical nature of macronutrients Measuring energy intake Releasing energy from food Energy expenditure Controlling weight Summary of Chapter 2 3 FOOD: DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION Introduction The digestive system The fate of food as it passes along the gut Absorption and distribution of fuel molecules Summary of Chapter 3 4 METABOLISM: THE BODY>'S INTERNAL BALANCING ACT Introduction Metabolism, homeostasis and a healthy balance Insulin and the regulation of blood glucose levels Creating an energy reserve: longer-term storage and use of lipids Insulin resistance Roles of adipose tissue Consolidation Summary of Chapter 4 5 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR Introduction The 'eating' brain: a quick introduction Hunger Satiety Brain mechanisms and feeding behaviour Summary of Chapter 5 6 INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES: GENES AND ENVIRONMENT Introduction Genes and obesity Environment and obesity Gene-environment interactions and obesity Factors affecting childhood obesity Pregnancy Epilogue Summary of Chapter 6 7 THE CONSEQUENCES OF OBESITY Introduction The medical consequences of obesity Psychosocial consequences of obesity Summary of Chapter 7 8 TREATING OBESITY: DIET, EXERCISE AND LIFESTYLE Introduction Energy balance revisited Reducing energy intake: 'going on a diet' Exercise as a treatment strategy for obesity Combining exercise and diet Lifestyle and body weight Childhood obesity Summary of Chapter 8 9 TREATING OBESITY: DRUGS AND SURGERY Introduction Drug treatments for obesity Surgical treatment of obesity Summary of Chapter 9 10 CHALLENGING OBESITY: THE FUTURE Introduction The obesogenic environment Obesity and government Evaluating policies to reduce the incidence of obesity Combating obesity: what policies would be effective? Conclusion Summary of Chapter 10 ANSWERS AND COMMENTS REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Reviews

Challenging Obesity is a well-written, comprehensive book dealing with an important public health issue. The authors provide a scientific perspective on obesity, addressing a number of different aspects of the topic. This book is a valuable and important resource for those studying, researching and teaching in the area of nutrition and public health. Of value to those studying the topic of obesity in particular, are the clear definitions, detailed summaries and self assessment questions. I would recommend this book to my students studying on our Energy Regulation and Obesity module. Although this book is primarily aimed at those studying the health sciences, individuals with a general interest in health and nutrition will also benefit from this book. * Dr Helen Lightowler, Oxford Brookes University * This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction into one of the most challenging health problems for the early part of 21st century - obesity. It presents an overview of the complex circumstances that result in obesity and identifies the critical factors that are contributing to the obesity epidemic - the poor adaption of our body's biological processes to a relative abundance of food and an increasingly sedentary social environment. Each chapter is written in an easily readable style to makes the book extremely attractive to anyone who wishes to learn more about obesity. I recommend the book to all who wish to better understand the causes, the problems and the management of obesity. * Professor Peter Kopelman, Principal, St Georges, University of London * Good material, highly appropriate, and well-focused. A good contribution to the subject area, written by well-qualified authors. * Professor Kevin Sykes, University of Chester * This is a timely and useful text. It provides lots of examples and approaches to aid learning, and is written in a style that is very accessible. * Dr Ashley Cooper, University of Bristol *

This is a timely and useful text. It provides lots of examples and approaches to aid learning, and is written in a style that is very accessible. Dr Ashley Cooper, University of Bristol Good material, highly appropriate, and well-focused. A good contribution to the subject area, written by well-qualified authors. Professor Kevin Sykes, University of Chester This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction into one of the most challenging health problems for the early part of 21st century - obesity. It presents an overview of the complex circumstances that result in obesity and identifies the critical factors that are contributing to the obesity epidemic - the poor adaption of our body's biological processes to a relative abundance of food and an increasingly sedentary social environment. Each chapter is written in an easily readable style to makes the book extremely attractive to anyone who wishes to learn more about obesity. I recommend the book to all who wish to better understand the causes, the problems and the management of obesity. Professor Peter Kopelman, Principal, St Georges, University of London Challenging Obesity is a well-written, comprehensive book dealing with an important public health issue. The authors provide a scientific perspective on obesity, addressing a number of different aspects of the topic. This book is a valuable and important resource for those studying, researching and teaching in the area of nutrition and public health. Of value to those studying the topic of obesity in particular, are the clear definitions, detailed summaries and self assessment questions. I would recommend this book to my students studying on our Energy Regulation and Obesity module. Although this book is primarily aimed at those studying the health sciences, individuals with a general interest in health and nutrition will also benefit from this book. Dr Helen Lightowler, Oxford Brookes University

`This is a timely and useful text. It provides lots of examples and approaches to aid learning, and is written in a style that is very accessible. ' Dr Ashley Cooper, University of Bristol `Good material, highly appropriate, and well-focused. A good contribution to the subject area, written by well-qualified authors.' Professor Kevin Sykes, University of Chester `This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction into one of the most challenging health problems for the early part of 21st century - obesity. It presents an overview of the complex circumstances that result in obesity and identifies the critical factors that are contributing to the obesity epidemic - the poor adaption of our body's biological processes to a relative abundance of food and an increasingly sedentary social environment. Each chapter is written in an easily readable style to makes the book extremely attractive to anyone who wishes to learn more about obesity. I recommend the book to all who wish to better understand the causes, the problems and the management of obesity.' Professor Peter Kopelman, Principal, St Georges, University of London `Challenging Obesity is a well-written, comprehensive book dealing with an important public health issue. The authors provide a scientific perspective on obesity, addressing a number of different aspects of the topic. This book is a valuable and important resource for those studying, researching and teaching in the area of nutrition and public health. Of value to those studying the topic of obesity in particular, are the clear definitions, detailed summaries and self assessment questions. I would recommend this book to my students studying on our Energy Regulation and Obesity module. Although this book is primarily aimed at those studying the health sciences, individuals with a general interest in health and nutrition will also benefit from this book.' Dr Helen Lightowler, Oxford Brookes University

Author Information

Heather McLannahan is a Senior Lecturer in Health Studies at The Open University. She followed her postgraduate studies at Oxford with a Lectureship at Liverpool University and then worked on sea-bird behaviour, including feeding behaviour, at the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology in Norwich and gave undergraduate lectures at UEA until a further family move to the Lake District forced a career break. Here she discovered distance learning and became an OU Associate Lecturer, subsequently joining the full-time staff in 1988. Since then she has written about 20 chapters in books for OU courses, many of them co-published. Most recently she was academic editor and chapter author for the Science Faculty's most popular intermediary undergraduate course, Human Biology and has just completed the copublished undergraduate title Visual Impairment: A Global View (copublished with Oxford University Press, 2008, ISBN 978-0199237319) to which she has been the major contributor and academic editor. Pete Clifton is Professor of Psychology at the University of Sussex and is also an Associate Lecturer with The Open University. He teaches biological psychology, with a particular focus on eating and obesity, to undergraduates in psychology and to medical students within the Brighton and Sussex Medical School. He is author of about 70 book chapters and journal articles. His research is in the area of feeding and body weight, with a particular emphasis on the relevant neural and behavioural mechanisms.

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