Eating Disorders: Anatomy of a Social Epidemic

You do not need to suffer from an eating disorder to make reading it worthwhile. If you or anyone you know has ever eaten the whole bag of cookies, the entire box of ice cream, the whole cake in one go, and wondered why, read this book. If you or anyone you know is chronically on a diet or worried about being fat, read this book. If you or anyone you love is simply a women in today's world trying to balance a career, adult relationships and children, it is worth reading this book

I personally watched eating disorders proliferate according to the author's predicted pattern in Spain. Twenty years ago, Spain was still a fledgling democracy, and the doors to the outside world were just opening up after the death of Franco. The local pharmacy was stocked with traditional medicines in plain boxes. Today the shelves of the pharmacy prominently display anti-cellulite and diet products of every conceivable variety. Side by side is the changing role of women. Now Spain has its own feminine icons, the super-women who have husbands and careers, and children, and eating disorders. At the same time in England, Princess Diana was trying to help those suffering from eating disorders, but her publicity of her own anorexia added to the upper-class status and glamour of the disease.

I can say the professionally critical things about this book - it is well-organized, clearly written, well-researched, and certainly very timely. But I am sure the author's wife and family, along with his clinical experience, must contribute to the compassionate understanding of individuals suffering from eating disorders, which complements the drier bones of research throughout this work.