I LOVE this book! Usually I find books on nutrition and health to be contrarian in tone and content, or dry as a rice cake. This hype-free offering is packed with nutritional sense from someone who knows. Its recommendations are backed by findings from rigorous, long-term health studies. The author doesn't claim to have all the answers, but he does claim to have summarized what we know so far. Dr. Willett draws on all the significant health studies of the last two decades and shows why we need to keep our weight down, exercise regularly and follow his (and Harvard Medical School's) healthy eating guidelines.

These guidelines are not the same as the very outdated USDA Food Guide Pyramid, which has not changed in umpteen years despite mounting evidence that they don't prevent heart disease, adult onset diabetes, or obesity. Americans following the Pyramid reduced fat intake and increased carbohydrates, but still gained weight. Then they turned to radical diets to shed the pounds, but the results have proved temporary and these regimens usually aren't sustainable. Dr. Willett explains why fad diets don't work and provides sensible guidelines for diet and exercise that can be enjoyed over a lifetime.

The Centers for Disease Control say that many of our most common and most costly ailments are almost entirely preventable through weight management, exercise and proper nutrition. Personally, I think we need books like this because obesity and obesity-related diseases are robbing us blind financially and denying our aging population of many healthy, enjoyable years. Now, if I just had a safe place to walk...