In the historical record there is abundant evidence that obesity was a medical and health concern as long as medicine has been practiced. The idea of diet and exercise are bulwarks in the fight against obesity in history from the time of Hippocrates to the 16th century-a span of 2,000 years. However, our scientific understanding of this problem is only a little over 200 years old. An examination of the root cause of what many consider the obesity epidemic, A Guide to Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome traces the origins and types of obesity and its treatment. Examining in detail...