Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

Encyclopedia of Obesity, edited by Kathleen Keller. 2 vols. 908p. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2008. 978-1-4129-5238-5; 2007-4491. $350.

Encyclopedia of Obesity In 2005, the World Health Organization classified 41.8% of American women and 36.5% of American men as obese, or more than 30 pounds above their ideal weight. Those figures increase to more than 72% of the population if examining those classified as overweight, or 5-30 pounds more than ideal for their height. With complications from obesity being the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States, this unhealthy situation is rightfully garnering considerable attention these days. Numerous films and reports have documented the deplorable eating habits and the lack of exercise among most Americans. However, increasing awareness of the problem has not necessarily improved understanding of the issues involved. The situation for consumers has not been improved by the development of a multi-billion dollar dieting industry in the United States. The often contradictory and competing claims of many commercial programs have often confused the public and obscured more credible sources of information.
Fortunately, a number of new reference tools are addressing this national health crisis and providing useful guides to the subjects of obesity and dieting. Sage's Encyclopedia of Obesity examines the prevalence of obesity in the United States and worldwide. Many of the 475 articles explore the biological, genetic and environmental contributors to obesity. From body image to supersizing, the influence of social and psychological factors on healthy eating is explained. Distinctions in the occurrence of obesity among ethnic, racial and gender groups are examined. So too are the health consequences of long-term obesity and a wide vector of associated diseases. Children and youth receive special attention because of the serious lifelong affects of childhood obesity on general health. Other articles investigate the neurological relationships of obesity and behavior. Medical and dietary options for treating obesity are also reviewed. Supplemental sections include a glossary of terms and statistical tables on the prevalence of obesity by gender and country. The index is helpfully repeated in both volumes but is a little weak. For instance, references to the Body Mass Index did not include the appearance of the full table in the introductory material. While the recent Gale Encyclopedia of Diets (Gale, 2008) provides more critical assessments of popular diet programs, the Encyclopedia of Obesity presents a wider view of both the biological and societal factors affecting obesity. This general guide will be of use in both public and academic libraries.

— John Lawrence