Includes bibliographical references and index.

More than a billion people worldwide are overweight, and almost 500 million are obese. Poor nutrition education and the relentless promotion of unhealthy food choices have become the norm, leading to a toxic environment in which it is much easier to get fat than to stay fit. In Fat Planet, leading neuropsychologists Dr David Lewis and Dr Margaret Yufera-Leitch explore the social and psychological factors underlying the obesity pandemic. They demonstrate that corporate greed and individual gluttony certainly play a part in creating and sustaining the situation in which poor nutrition is increasingly ubiquitous, but that the real causes of the global obesity epidemic are far more complicated. A wide range of issues fundamental to the development of unhealthy eating habits is covered; from the way in which foods high in sugar, fat and salt engage the same parts of the brain as hard drugs, to the true causes of food cravings and how to predict the environmental cues that trigger unconsciously motivated overeating. In a fascinating and extremely approachable narrative, the authors also offer practical strategies for slimming down and/or maintaining a healthy weight, while safeguarding children against the health risks of obesity.