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The Origin of Overweight
For Insight and Sunlight
Why is it so easy to gain weight and yet so difficult to lose it?
Why is extra weight so bad for your health if it is just a store of energy?
Why have no safe and effective weight-loss drugs been developed?
Why is obesity higher among the rich in poor countries and among the poor in rich countries?
Why is the prevalence of obesity particularly high in island nations?
What can we all do immediately (whatever our size) to improve our health and prevent weight gain?
The Origin of Overweight investigates the link between vitamin D and body weight. This eye-opening exploration reveals that the effect of fossil fuel emissions on ultraviolet radiation is one aspect of climate change that has been overlooked - yet it could be the main cause of the rise in obesity. It shows why a deeper understanding of biology and climate change is necessary to deal with the problem of overweight and obesity, and why our obsession with the usual suspects of food, drink, diet, and exercise is having little effect.
Why is it so easy to gain weight and yet so difficult to lose it?
Why is extra weight so bad for your health if it is just a store of energy?
Why have no safe and effective weight-loss drugs been developed?
Why is obesity higher among the rich in poor countries and among the poor in rich countries?
Why is the prevalence of obesity particularly high in island nations?
What can we all do immediately (whatever our size) to improve our health and prevent weight gain?
The Origin of Overweight investigates the link between vitamin D and body weight. This eye-opening exploration reveals that the effect of fossil fuel emissions on ultraviolet radiation is one aspect of climate change that has been overlooked - yet it could be the main cause of the rise in obesity. It shows why a deeper understanding of biology and climate change is necessary to deal with the problem of overweight and obesity, and why our obsession with the usual suspects of food, drink, diet, and exercise is having little effect.
- GenresNonfiction
394 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2014
3 people are currently reading
1367 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Foss
1 book47 followersYvonne Foss graduated from King's College London and worked as a postgraduate in medical research. She is the author of Vitamin D deficiency is the cause of common obesity, a highly downloaded and cited publication in the journal Medical Hypotheses. She is a member of the Royal Society of Biology.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 18, 2016
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway
Original Review Found at: https://loesreads.blogspot.nl/
I’m a nutrition and dietetics student. That’s probably why I was interested in this book in the first place, but I was very disappointed in this book.
There was so much wrong with this book that I wanted to put it down after reading maybe 1 chapter. I’m no expert on vitamin D but I do know something. But even without knowing about vitamin D you could see that most point she made on why vitamin D was the cause of overweight were weak. I agree with you, most people have a vitamin D deficiency. But that’s the only thing I agree with. Because some polar bear, penguin or fish in the bottom of the sea get bigger doesn’t mean humans do that too. Or the point that since the industrial revolution weight gone up because of pollution and that we stay more indoors. There are a lot more variables you should keep in mind. We don’t just stay more indoors but we also exercise less which can also account for the weight gain. And so there are more points I disagree with. But these two are just some examples.
I’m not saying that it is not possible that vitamin D has something to do with weight gain, but I think the assumptions that are made in this book are weak. Maybe if there was more evidence you could convince me but there is not.
Original Review Found at: https://loesreads.blogspot.nl/
I’m a nutrition and dietetics student. That’s probably why I was interested in this book in the first place, but I was very disappointed in this book.
There was so much wrong with this book that I wanted to put it down after reading maybe 1 chapter. I’m no expert on vitamin D but I do know something. But even without knowing about vitamin D you could see that most point she made on why vitamin D was the cause of overweight were weak. I agree with you, most people have a vitamin D deficiency. But that’s the only thing I agree with. Because some polar bear, penguin or fish in the bottom of the sea get bigger doesn’t mean humans do that too. Or the point that since the industrial revolution weight gone up because of pollution and that we stay more indoors. There are a lot more variables you should keep in mind. We don’t just stay more indoors but we also exercise less which can also account for the weight gain. And so there are more points I disagree with. But these two are just some examples.
I’m not saying that it is not possible that vitamin D has something to do with weight gain, but I think the assumptions that are made in this book are weak. Maybe if there was more evidence you could convince me but there is not.
May 22, 2016
I have just finished “The Origin of Overweight” (I’m a hero!) and I am just horrified. The hypothesis on which this book is based, as well as the demonstration, it is just nonsense.
When I started reading the book, I was quite surprised at the theory and told to myself “Hmm I never thought about that one, but why not?”; I was intrigued and this intrigue kept me reading.
However, the theoretic explanations were tedious and it just didn’t add up for me.
To make it short, what the author believes and presents to us in the book is that:
1) There is a global (very important) deficiency in vitamin D;
2) We need 2 things to become overweight (with only one it won’t work): low vitamin D and high food supply. The author states that NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE EAT, if we are not vitamin D –deficient, we cannot become overweight. (“As long as enough time is spent outdoors, vitamin D status will not drop below the threshold at which the set point is raised, so even with an abundance of food availability, overweight will not occur.”)
3) The vitamin D deficiency could be explained mainly by pollution: ultraviolets can’t reach us or the animals as they used to because of the global pollution, especially the one caused by air transportation;
4) To support her theory, she relies on many studies, either related to the apparent vitamin D deficiency or to the rise in global overweight or pollution; However, no study ever linked overweight / obesity to vitamin D deficiency (until this book, which just presents a hypothesis). Probably because it doesn’t make any sense.
I could give countless examples to refute this absurd theory, but I will limit myself to 3:
- Myself; I have moved to a new country when I was 15; The new city was located approximately 1000 km more at north than the previous one (1000 km further from the equator line), and it was more developed and with a higher population, which lets me suppose that it was more polluted; moreover, I was used to having school in the mornings only, and go out whole afternoon with friends. Spending whole day outdoors was a lifestyle in my previous country. In the new country, I didn’t have any friends for several months, and even when I had, I didn’t go out much. School was morning to evening as well. Everything lets us believe that my levels of vitamin D got way lower than before. Especially that it was autumn, which was also meaning that days were getting shorter and were more rainy, so less UV. My food availability was the same in both countries, even though I did increase the level of exercise upon arrival in the new country. However, despite all this, I lost weight in my first years in the new country, going from 60 to 54 kgs and maintaining that weight;
- People in rural Mexico; those people are living in villages with extremely low pollution and are spending most of the day outdoors; They are very likely to make loads of vitamin D. Many of them are obese or overweight. In their villages, a bottle of Coke is cheaper than a bottle of water.
- People in Amazonia; same observations as for Mexican people in rural areas, they should have plenty of vitamin D, much more than us western Europeans. Their obesity levels are impressive, particularly in children. In their remote villages, a mobile boat of Nestle is anchored every week. They have discovered processed foods and sodas and became addicted to it.
Claiming that our body is super smart and always regulates itself (digestive system included) is only true to a certain extent. Sugars and other harmful ingredients are faking our sensation of satiety and have us ask for more and more and more. Reading the “Fatstat Facts” chapter of the book gave me the feeling that the author has never seen a documentary about obesity in her life.
As the vegan that I now am, I was also outraged by her remarks on “eat animals you will increase your vitamin D level” theory. There is no study whatsoever showing that vitamin D causes overweight, cancer, disease (and so on), as it is stated in this book. There are studies however showing that a person eating animal products out of 3 gets cancer in their life, and only 1 out of 5 for vegetarians (this proportion is even lower for vegans). I recommend the documentary “Forks over knives” for people needing tangible proof of this and also for the author.
I am also strongly convinced that if we put a person with an exclusively plant-based diet anywhere in this world, or even lock the person up in a room with no access to sunlight, they will never get overweight. Claiming that vitamin D is responsible for all the ill health that people can get is not only nonsense, but it is right dangerous.
I received this book via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Sorry for taking so long to read and review.
When I started reading the book, I was quite surprised at the theory and told to myself “Hmm I never thought about that one, but why not?”; I was intrigued and this intrigue kept me reading.
However, the theoretic explanations were tedious and it just didn’t add up for me.
To make it short, what the author believes and presents to us in the book is that:
1) There is a global (very important) deficiency in vitamin D;
2) We need 2 things to become overweight (with only one it won’t work): low vitamin D and high food supply. The author states that NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE EAT, if we are not vitamin D –deficient, we cannot become overweight. (“As long as enough time is spent outdoors, vitamin D status will not drop below the threshold at which the set point is raised, so even with an abundance of food availability, overweight will not occur.”)
3) The vitamin D deficiency could be explained mainly by pollution: ultraviolets can’t reach us or the animals as they used to because of the global pollution, especially the one caused by air transportation;
4) To support her theory, she relies on many studies, either related to the apparent vitamin D deficiency or to the rise in global overweight or pollution; However, no study ever linked overweight / obesity to vitamin D deficiency (until this book, which just presents a hypothesis). Probably because it doesn’t make any sense.
I could give countless examples to refute this absurd theory, but I will limit myself to 3:
- Myself; I have moved to a new country when I was 15; The new city was located approximately 1000 km more at north than the previous one (1000 km further from the equator line), and it was more developed and with a higher population, which lets me suppose that it was more polluted; moreover, I was used to having school in the mornings only, and go out whole afternoon with friends. Spending whole day outdoors was a lifestyle in my previous country. In the new country, I didn’t have any friends for several months, and even when I had, I didn’t go out much. School was morning to evening as well. Everything lets us believe that my levels of vitamin D got way lower than before. Especially that it was autumn, which was also meaning that days were getting shorter and were more rainy, so less UV. My food availability was the same in both countries, even though I did increase the level of exercise upon arrival in the new country. However, despite all this, I lost weight in my first years in the new country, going from 60 to 54 kgs and maintaining that weight;
- People in rural Mexico; those people are living in villages with extremely low pollution and are spending most of the day outdoors; They are very likely to make loads of vitamin D. Many of them are obese or overweight. In their villages, a bottle of Coke is cheaper than a bottle of water.
- People in Amazonia; same observations as for Mexican people in rural areas, they should have plenty of vitamin D, much more than us western Europeans. Their obesity levels are impressive, particularly in children. In their remote villages, a mobile boat of Nestle is anchored every week. They have discovered processed foods and sodas and became addicted to it.
Claiming that our body is super smart and always regulates itself (digestive system included) is only true to a certain extent. Sugars and other harmful ingredients are faking our sensation of satiety and have us ask for more and more and more. Reading the “Fatstat Facts” chapter of the book gave me the feeling that the author has never seen a documentary about obesity in her life.
As the vegan that I now am, I was also outraged by her remarks on “eat animals you will increase your vitamin D level” theory. There is no study whatsoever showing that vitamin D causes overweight, cancer, disease (and so on), as it is stated in this book. There are studies however showing that a person eating animal products out of 3 gets cancer in their life, and only 1 out of 5 for vegetarians (this proportion is even lower for vegans). I recommend the documentary “Forks over knives” for people needing tangible proof of this and also for the author.
I am also strongly convinced that if we put a person with an exclusively plant-based diet anywhere in this world, or even lock the person up in a room with no access to sunlight, they will never get overweight. Claiming that vitamin D is responsible for all the ill health that people can get is not only nonsense, but it is right dangerous.
I received this book via Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Sorry for taking so long to read and review.
August 13, 2015
I received this book from Goodreads and whilst I say I've finished it I actually haven't but thought that if I leave off reviewing it until I had it would be many moons away.
This is a science based book with the author suggesting that maybe there is a connection between the fact that populations in most of the world are getting fatter and the problem nowadays with the body manufacturing enough vitamin D due to pollution, skin cancer scares etc.
It is in places very readable but then the actual science takes over and I'm afraid I tend to skip a few paragraphs.
Basically, what I have gained from what I have so far read, is a strengthening of my resolve to take with a pinch of salt any advice given by the government or the medics and to act intuitively in order to keep myself and my family healthy and safe.
This is a science based book with the author suggesting that maybe there is a connection between the fact that populations in most of the world are getting fatter and the problem nowadays with the body manufacturing enough vitamin D due to pollution, skin cancer scares etc.
It is in places very readable but then the actual science takes over and I'm afraid I tend to skip a few paragraphs.
Basically, what I have gained from what I have so far read, is a strengthening of my resolve to take with a pinch of salt any advice given by the government or the medics and to act intuitively in order to keep myself and my family healthy and safe.
July 7, 2015
I was pleased to have received this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
This was a little different to the usual books that I read, but I did enjoy. The book was very well written and the author certainly knew her subject. I have often wondered about 'why' as I'm slightly overweight myself, and those thoughts have now been answered. Recommended.
This was a little different to the usual books that I read, but I did enjoy. The book was very well written and the author certainly knew her subject. I have often wondered about 'why' as I'm slightly overweight myself, and those thoughts have now been answered. Recommended.
July 3, 2016
This is a very informative book in which you can clearly see the time and the passion the author has for this subject. It was very interesting to read, my favourite part being the different interpretations of personal stories. I received this book from a Goodreads First reads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
August 25, 2023
I received this book in the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. I initially found this book overwhelming, firstly because of it's overall size and secondly after an initial flick through I could see all the science analogies, equations etc jumping out at me.
For the most part it was interesting and made a lot of sense. Definitely another perspective and something to give consideration to.
For the most part it was interesting and made a lot of sense. Definitely another perspective and something to give consideration to.
January 9, 2016
as a science and sociology student at college i found this book interesting. the book was so informative and thought out
September 26, 2016
Long book that could have been much shorter. Question some of the content.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews