Michael Fumento is a medical journalist and author of the controversial The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS. He lives in Denver, Colorado.
Those familiar with Fumento's previous two books (Science Under Siege and The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS) know that this medical journalist has a knack for debunking popular beliefs and revealing the true state of things. While this candid approach has incited controversy before, the author's tone here is too likable to provoke the ire even of those groups he is most critical of: the food manufacturers that flood the market with low-fat (but highly caloric and sugar-laden) snacks, the pro-obesity groups that deny the serious health risks associated with excess body weight and the expensive diet books and programs that are little more than modern-day quackery. It's hard to doubt the author's conclusions; not only has he examined most of the studies, but he has even used himself as the guinea pig in experiments with various weight-control methods. Fumento has maintained a 25-pound weight loss by practicing the commonsense plan he ultimately preaches: get plenty of exercise, eat only when hungry and maintain a high-fiber diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fumento is a rational man, but that doesn't mean he's dry. In fact, he's a sharp and witty writer who isn't afraid to joke around: "Many of us, including your humble author, know what it's like to eat six or eight cookies in short order.... Have you ever tried to eat six bananas or pears in one sitting?" Major ad/promo; author tour. (Sept.)
Despite a $39 billion diet industry and the proliferation of "fat free, sugar-free, guilt-free" foods, Americans are fatter than ever and fatter than anyone else in the world. Fumento, a medical journalist and author of the controversial The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS (LJ 11/15/89), blames a variety of factors, from nutritional fads to the cult of victimization to the merchandising of oversized food portions. His basic premise, however, is that we must accept the fact that the more calories we ingest and the fewer we burn off, the fatter we get. True self-esteem, he notes, comes from taking control of our lives and responsibility for our actions. He indicts the myriad weight-loss "miracle" gimmicks and reiterates the unpopular but proven remedy: Eat less and exercise more. Highly recommended.‘Susan B. Hagloch, Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia
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