Updates throughout this new edition add new information on weight control, obesity, fads, diet drugs and eating disorders. Topics include: theories of weight gain, defining "ideal weight," evaluating popular diet books and programs, and much more. Gain a better understanding of how eating disorders and obesity develop by exploring the root causes of each, and how clients should never diet to achieve the “ideal” weight defined by Body Mass Index (BMI) charts. Explore health risks of obesity and the role exercise plays in maintaining a healthy lifestyle or weight-loss program. Determine the efficacy and nutritional soundness of popular weight-loss programs and identify which obese people are appropriate candidates for surgical weight-loss procedures.