Rating: 
Summary: A very easy read, packed with hard facts
Review: All those assertions and conclusions! Are any of them substantiated? Yes! Mr. Critser goes to great lengths to quote his sources in the ample appendices. And what about his penchant for calling it like it is? And the ease with which he lambastes the likes of Butz, Coca Cola, McDonalds, and the corrupt local, state and federal government? I say that's telling it like it is.Mr Critser has the background in writing for the likes of the LA Times and USA Today which allows him to spell out the facts in very easily digestible chunks. That background works in his favor to drive home point after point in what could quite easily have become a very, very dry work. Think of it as the journalistic equivalent of a metabolic shunt. ;-> I read the whole thing in two sittings, cover to cover. He covers extremely important material in a compelling and accesible way. I highly recommend the book to every American, especially those with kids.
Rating:
Summary: A provocative, well-researched analysis of U.S. obesity!!
Review: FATLAND is one of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. I give Critser big-time credit for a massive amount of research behind his book, plus having the courage to put forth some provocative (and perhaps unpalatable) arguments. Critser looks at the American obesity epidemic from a sociological and political point of view. Make no mistake: this is not your typical diet book! While Critser does consider diet and exercise, he also looks at larger scale socio-political issues and how they affect individual diet and exercise. Probably the most important larger scale issue he examines is the trend towards less per capita funding for public education and how that (a) has resulted in a decrease in physical education plus (b) has opened the door for fast food companies to make marketing deals with school districts. By now, most of us have heard the statistics on the growing rates of overweightness and obesity in this country; but what is not generally reported in the media is that this trend is much stronger in lower socioeconomic groups. Unlike other reviewers, I do not agree Critser means to suggest that the association of obesity with poverty implies a conspiracy. I think he does mean to give a wake up call to affluent Americans who can more easily buy their way into good health care and good health clubs. To be sure, Critser does no more than to suggest relationships or associations among phenomena. As copiously researched as this book is, I do not see the book as intending to prove cause-and-effect. I do not fault Critser for this; his book is a provocative starting point in the debate. I find myself shocked by some of the negative reviews of the book here. Perhaps some readers were expecting a more individual-focused, less sociological look at diet and exercise. Perhaps some readers were put off by the implicit call to social or political activism. I can only respond that I found the book remarkably informative and thought-provoking. Although I recommend this book to everyone, in particular I suggest that parents read this book because of the amount of information about children's health and diet. A final note: This book is not at all redundant with "Fast Food Nation"! Yes, there is some overlap as regards food composition and marketing into schools. FATLAND differs in its primary focus on health and epidemiology. Both books are very worthy reads.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely Disappointing Book from Amateurish "Journalist"
Review: There are interesting nuggets of information in this book, but I found myself annoyed while reading most of this book due to the author's biased and unprofessional approach to (supposedly) journalistic writing. The first part of the book deals with HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and palm oil --- food processes/byproducts developed in the 70s that led to Americans receiving more calories in their foods that more easily turned to fat inside the body than other substances theretofore consumed by us. This I found interesting. However, during this discussion the author demonized one Earl Butz, Secretary of Agriculture under Nixon. I was a mere child during Nixon's years, so I know nothing of Earl Butz and therefore can't say one way or the other if he was the demon incarnate that the author makes him out to be or not. Throughout the book, the author blames Butz for all of the evil fat-making foods on the market today. This seems implausible to me that one single man could be responsible for so much. I think it's more likely that these new processes of HFCS and palm oil was an *industry* trend that would have taken hold regardless of who happened to be Secretary of Agriculture. Another annoyance is the author's strained efforts to make it seem like there's a conspiracy going on to fatten up the poor and non-white minorities in this country. One such ludicrous example he gave was of the opening of a Krispy Kreme franchise in a Latino area of Southern California. The author tries very hard, and unconvincingly, to use the fact that cars were lined up around the block for KK's opening as proof that the poor are targeted for fatty foods. Is the author completely unaware that *every* KK opening is accompanied by lines of cars around the block, even in upper-class white-bread neighborhoods?! How does a line of cars around a KK prove *anything*? I'll list only one more annoyance, as I am probably approaching my 1000-word maximum! The author quotes many studies and draws completely illogical conclusions from them to support his conspiracy-theory hypothesis. Several times, he compares figures for those in the under $25K/yr income bracket to those in the over $50K/yr bracket. Each time he did this, I had to ask myself, what about the $25K-50K bracket? Did he consistently leave the figures for this group out because the data for that category didn't support his weak and falacious hypothesis? The language this supposed journalist uses shows he is far from your classical objective journalist. He spends a lot of time blaming Proposition 13 (California, late 70s) for many fat-related woes, and refers to the proposition's author as "cigar-chomping" ... clearly intended to give us a negative image. Later on in the book, he cites a study whose conclusions are rather shaky and unverified, but which, if true, would bolster his hypothesis. So, how does he address this? He states, "Although [the conclusions of this study are] still somewhat speculative, the state-of-the-art explanation runs thus:..." How genially and complimentary he can write of an unsubstantiated theory as long as it helps prop up his hypothesis! In summary, this book contains one or two interesting pieces of information on bad food ingredients (HFCS and palm oil), but having to read through the author's amateurish and hackneyed presentation along with stunning illogical support for his theories, makes this book extremely unworthy of anyone's time.
Rating:
Summary: Feed your mind
Review: A simply fascinating (and quick) read. Critser covers a wide arrange of topics related to Americans' widening behinds, from cheap (and mass produced) sweeteners, super-sizing meals everywhere, to our lack of excercise and cutting gym programs. He also covers the damage its' doing to us - all the illnesses from heart disease and diabetes that obesity is causing. Insightful and worth the time. And it makes you lose your appetite (in a good way).
Rating: 
Summary: Just critiques government studies
Review: When I read Fast Food Nation, I thought I could expand my knowledge on why American waistlines are expanding. This small, expensive book provided little new knowledge on this subject. He goes into details that don't really shed much light on the subject. He spends a significant portion of the book describing the origins of High Fructose Corn Syrup. While interesting, the history is pretty much irrelevant now that it's already here. He spends another chunk of this book describing government studies and then criticizing them. Of course, does the American really base their decisions on the studies mentioned - I don't think so. The rest of his depiction of Fat America just concentrates on the supply side of calories. He really doesn't delve into the personal choices that affects one's eating. Basically, this book is small, but that's just means there is really no new information in there. Just read Fast Food Nation, and you'll get a lot more than this.
Rating: 
Summary: Good approach, wrong tone
Review: Critser's thorough yet readable analysis of exactly how obesity has become such an epidemic in the United States is marred by his hectoring tone and, more important, by his failure to address the fact that losing weight and maintaining the loss is extremely difficult for most people. Having lost 40 pounds himself through willpower and discipline, Critser seems to believe that anyone can do the same; unfortunately, for many people, it isn't that simple. Obesity experts often state that as much as they recognize the need for people to lose weight, they have no easy answers for how to achieve that weight loss, since simply reducing calorie intake and increasing calorie expenditure doesn't seem to be enough for some people to achieve and sustain significant weight loss. Too often throughout the otherwise well-written book, Critser seems to imply that fat people should be ashamed of their own laziness and lack of discipline, even suggesting that mainstream churches are partly to blame for the obesity epidemic because they no longer stress the notion of gluttony as a sin. There is perhaps some truth to these claims, and indeed, it's more than likely that most obese people are ashamed of their lack of willpower. But to suggest that that's all there is to the epidemic--and that if people were more disciplined, they'd lose weight just as Critser himself did--is a serious oversimplification, and a disservice to the reader and the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful
Review: A quick read which will make you ponder what you eat from now on. Mr. Critser has bite (no pun intended) on how and why we are what we are. From fast food, the media, religion, and music we are a jumble and perhaps no end in sight(?). Thank you Mr. Critser.
Rating:
Summary: a book of truth
Review: it was great to read finally read a book that not only addresses the problems of our food system, but suggests solutions to these problems. As a child i was always overweight, but not obese. I lost the weight and became an athlete by the time i left high school, as a result i have been a student of nutrition ever since. I have always had a sweet tooth and after reading about some of the studies mentioned in this book i decided to try giving up on corn syrup. Since i started this experiment 9 months ago, i am 5 pounds below my normal weight and enjoying and eating more than ever. By simply following many of the principles in this book about avoiding corn syrup and fructose, i have been able to get back to the same weight i competed at and without starvation. Wonderful book. Hopefully america will finally come around and realize the evils of high fructose corn syrup, this book is a start in the right direction.
Rating:
Summary: timely and well-written
Review: An important and readable book, dealing with many aspects of an important problem. The obesity epidemic will cause increasing problems in public health (and result in huge financial costs to deal with these problems). This book discusses the problem from many aspects - the various causes, who is most affected, and the personal and societal costs.
Rating:
Summary: What Dieters Need to KNOW NOW!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I know this is NOT a book for dieters but rather an 'expose' of the food industry in America and our bad eating habits encouraged by the advertising moguls. BUT, author Greg Critser (whose own weight problem motivated the book) is brilliant at sorting out facts and figures and anecdotes to illustrate why we are FAT in America. He covers a) where the calories came from b) the unresistable urge to "supersize" everything, c) who let the calories in d) why the calories stay on our bodies --and it's harder than ever before to lose weight e) what fat is and isn't f) how bad the extra calories are for you and most importantly
G) WHAT CAN BE DONE. He recommends several foods including High fructose corn syrup (in many, many commercial products) to stay away from and he gives guidance to parents about supersizing and eating plans for kids who are getting fatter than ever before. I found this a very easy-to-read book. It should be on the shelf of every doctor in America, every teacher, every parent and yes, everyone who's trying to diet (and isn't that most of us). What's so fascinating is how 'geo-political' our weight gain is -- Critser traces it back in American politics to various deals done by past administrations. Amazing. I'm glad I found the book and I'm happy that Critser made the time to research all the triva, facts, figures and legislation and deals that weave together corporate Americana with the US Government in the FAT LAND of America.
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