The Psychology of Dieting

In an era of overweight and obesity, for some people dieting can be a matter of health, life and death. For others, wracked by body dissatisfaction, dieting can also be dangerous.

But in The Psychology of Dieting, health psychologist Jane Ogden offers a clear-sighted overview of why some of us become overweight, and why losing weight is so difficult. Exploring the cognitive, emotional and social triggers which lead us to make poor decisions around food, it takes a broad and balanced view of both the causes of weight gain

and the challenges involved in dieting. The book examines what it means to diet well and how, by understanding our psychological selves, we can change unhealthy behaviors and potentially lose weight.

From the cultural history of dieting to the prevalence and dangers of eating disorders, The Psychology of Dieting shows us that there is no such thing as a miracle diet. Instead, losing weight in the long-term involves understanding how our minds shape the choices we make, and although changing our behaviour is difficult, sustained weight loss is possible.

Jane Ogden is Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Surrey, UK