The understanding, prevention and treatment of overweight

1. Introduction
2. Elisa
   speaks
3. The
   Dieter’s Dilemma
4. The understanding
   of the predicament of obesity
5. How do we explain
   obesity?
6. The cerebral
   hypothalamus
7. Obesity as a
   control issue
8. Control
   issues
9. When one goes on a
   diet
10. To succeed we
    must be in control
11. Facts and
    fallacies
12. To be in
    control
13. The Human Adaptive
    Eating Strategy (ECHA)
14. The
    Plan
15. The role of physical
    activity in the treatment and control of
    obesity
16. Let’s talk
    about the role of exercise in weight
    control
17. In
    summary

Introduction:

The emerging awareness of the growing problem with
obesity (and its dire implications and complications) in the
United States of America has led to frantic efforts by various
government and health agencies to attempt to address, modify,
prevent and, of course, eradicate the presence of this public
health menace.

Historically much can be said about the rise of this
phenomenon and of its continuing persistence. The latter, despite
the claims made by "nutritionists", the diet industry and
so-called "experts", who maintain to have developed methods that
can effectively control it, that
can cure it, or if not, that can modify its outcome.

Al Gore, not a suitable presidential
hopeful…

General wisdom maintains that obesity exists in a large
percentage of the American population. And it does, as it exists
among the well-to-do (times past, considered an aberration), the
educated, the professionals, children of all ages, the clergy
and, even the poor; as it is practically the case with everyone
else living in the Western world.

Obesity is considered the antithesis of elegance, of
fitness and of beauty. The apparent contradiction presented by
the recent successes of corpulent performers, does not detract
from the fact that those afflicted with this serious problem
still wage (and many, secretively continue to battle) an endless
struggle with this polymorphous dilemma responsible for their
unflattering figures.

In the United States presidential candidates maintain a
careful watch over their weight and its projection for a
successful campaign. In other countries (Europeans for the most
part) the same phenomenon seems apparent, yet somewhat minimized
by the memories of the deprivations and scarcities of recent
famine and warfare.

In the Dominican Republic, where we now live, hardly any
candidate for high office is obese
(although quite a few suffer ostensible forms of overweight).
Even then, those who are fat or who tend towards corpulence are
eager to admit their dedication at attaining the goal of a normal
weight as soon as conditions would allow it — something that
has eluded many.

No one with a sound mind dares to extol the virtues or
desirability of corpulence, or to assert the benignity of this
trait.

Be as it may, at the time of this writing, obesity
remain a conundrum without resolution, affecting an estimated 65%
of all Americans.

The purpose of this essay is to provide the interested
student with an up-to-date, thorough, concise, and authoritative
analysis of this enigma, while at once advancing a methodology
aimed at its resolution.

She is not like the rest of
us!