How to be a Healthy Weight

To be healthy and happy, it's essential to be thin - or is it? For too many women, the 'right' shape remains an elusive goal, and confusion and guilt reign in the world of weight loss. Yet, being overweight is neither a disease nor a sin. Human beings are designed to come in many different shapes and sizes, and, when you read the small print, dieting is potentially more threatening to health than being over the recommended body mass index. In this entertaining, sometimes provocative book, Philippa Pigache explores and questions the proven health implications of being either heavy or underweight, and exposes the scare stories and myths. Topics covered include: * the emergence of the science that connects health and weight * history of 'slimming' * how a healthy body weight is calculated * the factors that affect on weight gain * healthy eating to reduce or maintain weight * the all important role of physical activity