This is a short and initially engaging book written in an informal style. Its purpose is to help non-specialists ‘gain confidence and competence in assessing and treating weight and eating issues’ (p. 7). Cognisant of the growing number of those with ‘overweight and obesity,’ it is refreshing to see a clinician guide that attempts to address emotional and physical issues found in both weight and eating disorders.
The reader, however, has a rather meandering journey through the early chapters before reaching some that move beyond encouraging personal reflections to more direct advice about how to assess and treat eating and weight issues. There are some pearls here but it is difficult at times to find them among rather less helpful information. Hidden within several of the first chapters is the reasonable thesis that the obesity epidemic and subsequent health risks may well be overstated and the most helpful advice concerning a fit and healthy, albeit mildly or moderately overweight, person is that he or she is well and requires no specific intervention. At one point medical practitioners are gently remonstrated to reflect on how patients might feel when asked to be weighed, especially when done ‘opportunistically’ during a consultation for an unrelated issue.
However, some areas are problematic, particularly the final chapter on treatment where evidence-based therapies such as cognitive–behavioural therapy are accorded the same (or even less) emphasis as other treatments with much less to recommend them (e.g. gestalt therapy). The high reliance on internet-based sources and self-help information as well as the conversational style perhaps set the scene. The book wisely closes with encouragement for the therapist ‘not to be afraid’ to make a referral to a specialist.
This book is an introduction to eating and weight issues for the undifferentiated practitioner who treats people at the ‘not otherwise specified’ end of the eating and weight disorders spectrum. It is not an authoritative text and it is not for those managing morbidly obese or severely underweight individuals, or those with even moderately severe bulimia. (A ‘further reading’ section would have been good in this regard.) Still, it encourages a high degree of personal reflection and integration of one's own views and biases around eating and weight issues, which is helpful to those naive to the area.
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