Teenage Waistland: A Former Fat Kid Weighs in on Living Large, Losing Weight, and How Parents Can (and Can't) Help - Tapa dura

"A thoughtful, provocative and valuable account of subject that is too often beset by prejudice and hysteria." -- Paul Campos, Professor, University of Colorado and author of "The Diet Myth" "Abby Ellin has written a necessary road map for parents and their children who struggle with eating issues." -- Betsy Lerner, author of "Food and Loathing" "Ellin's funny, intimate and unblinkingly honest book is sure to help parents and kids wrestling with this issue." -- Alissa Quart, author of "Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers" "Its straight-forward perspective challenges our current views about weight loss, body image, and the manipulative societal pressures on our children." -- "Emme" ""Teenage Wasteland" is not just about Ellin's personal experiences...It's about the emotional effects of the various solutions." --" Los Angeles Times", June 14, 2005 "Written with candor, curiosity, and compassion... [and]reflects our own grown-up and insecurities around body and beauty, health and happiness." -- Wendy Shanker, author of "The Fat Girl's Guide to Life" "[Ellin] addresses the situation from a psychological, medical, cultural, and most important, understanding standpoint." -- "Gotham Magazine", August, 2005 "A unique, empathetic perspective on this issue [Ellin] writes with compassion and humor about the trials of overweight kids." -- "Bookpage", August 2005 "An honest, grimly funny report from a world that's lost all sense of proportion about fat." -- "Arkansas Democrat-Gazette", June 6, 2005 "One part investigative journalism, one part self-help, and one part personal narrative, "Waistland "is intriguing...both eloquent and moving." -- "The Boston Globe", September 18, 2005

Abby Ellin's parents got it all wrong when it came to helping her lose weight - but what would have been right? In this fresh, frank and funny look at childhood obesity and its treatment she journeys through diet culture seeking a better way. We've been inundated with books and articles about childhood obesity. Most offer cultural critique or nutrition and exercise advice but few address the psychological medical, cultural and developmental complexities affecting over-weight kids. The truth is, many parents already know that Big Macs are fattening. What they don't know is how to effectively help and often discourage, often reluctant kid on what will be a difficult, life-long journey.