Book Review: Why We Eat (Too Much)

Why We Eat (Too Much) is a book about the science of appetite, written by NHS bariatric surgeon Dr Andrew Jenkinson. I see it as a very red-pilled take on nutrition and why we are experiencing an obesity epidemic.

Book Summary

There are three parts to the book.

Part 1: Lessons In Energy

The first part of the book is all about how our body controls weight. It starts by debunking the idea of calories in and calories out being the main factor affecting our weight. It's also done in a way that is incredibly obvious.

The book then goes on to explain what does actually control our weight, how our metabolism changes, and how our appetite works and normally outweighs our free will.

Part 2: Lessons In Obesogenics

In part two we learn why nutritional science is for the most part harmful, based on studies paid for by food companies with an agenda. It talks about how sugar is a drug and how insulin affects our weight.

The most interesting and potentially most controversial part of the book is also in this part, where it explains how important the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fats in our bodies is.

The theory put forward is that obesity is a deficiency disease, caused by a too high ratio of omega-6 in our cells, compared to omega-3. While the theory makes a lot of sense, there's a lack of studies on humans on the subject.

Part 3: Blueprint For a Healthier Weight

In the third and final part of the book it explains how to lose weight without going on a diet. Instead the book suggests to eat real food cooked at home from scratch, resting more, and making sure to do muscle training.

Opinion

I found this book incredibly interesting. A lot of the topics and ideas it talks about are backed by good science, referencing papers and studies. The author has more experience than most working with obese patients, giving him unique insight into the issue.

It talked about something I have always thought about, that our modern diet is composed of a lot of highly processed, unnatural foods that we did not evolve to eat, causing all kinds of health problems.

I think it is important to treat some of the book like any other information, with a grain of salt. That said, I think all the ideas presented make sense and I applaud the author's courage to introduce them.

Recommendation

I highly recommend reading this book, regardless of your weight. I think it introduces some good ideas which anyone can incorporate into their life. I sure have.