Good book with a lot of useful pieces in it. Good one to read if you or someone you know has a hard time with eating or sensory issues.

I lot of detailed information on fad diets. I recommend for those interested in a scholarly read on the subject.

I am a library associate and received an advance copy from #NetGalley.

It took me a long time to read this book, but it was well worth it! The topic is very well covered and explained, but it is a bit academic, which might be a drawback for some readers. If you don't mind scientific and academic reading, this is an excellent book on diet culture and its myths!

n Anxious Eaters: Why We Fall for Fad Diets, nutritional anthropologist Janet Chrzan and psychology professor Kima Cargill tackle the science behind why fad diets are so appealing, getting excitedly and hopefully taken up over and over again by lifelong dieters in any new form, despite a shared history of their simply not working.

The idea behind their work and research is fascinating and something that I hadn’t deeply considered before: fad diets are so popular because they fulfill basic social and psychological needs. Conversely, these same needs also tend to be why these diets fail.

Eating as a communal activity is a big topic here, as the difficulties of dining out or with others when you have a number of dietary restrictions is difficult and sucks the joy out of an occasion. There’s an endless loop of social anxieties that affect both why we want to try these diets when we see others doing so and why they end up failing.

Although parts of this were wonderfully readable, much of it felt academic. It wasn’t necessarily dry’ per se, it was more that the tone could feel somewhat textbook-y. But I think this would be a very helpful read for anyone who finds themselves stuck in the loop of fad diets, bouncing from one to another without the results that they want. It clearly explains exactly what psychological mechanisms affect this behavior and with an understanding of them, it’s possible to break this frustrating cycle, as well as reduce the anxiety around certain foods and mealtimes.

I was excited about this one, but the author came across as so judgemental that I really couldn't enjoy it. I get that they were trying to dispel myths about pop culture diets, but they ignore how healing food can really be. And the style was so unapproachable that it was off-putting

Years ago I worked with a woman who, every time I ate an apple (which was often as I like apples), had a comment to make - “You know that thing is nothing but sugar, right?” or “You might as well just eat a candy bar.” and so on. I always just ignored or redirected her, but now, having read this fun, interesting, and well-cited book, I finally know know what the heck she was on about.

Thanks, NetGalley, for providing an ARC copy for me to review!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader's copy of this book.

Interested in the science of why we "diet" instead of lifestyle change. This book covers it all.

Breaking down all the diets that the world insists we try instead of making ourselves healthier and listening to our bodies. We are all different not all round pegs fit into a square.