Tackling a weight problem is often viewed as a personal responsibility that requires making healthier choices. The latest research, however, shows that external factors—from family and friendships to advertising and the workplace environment—make an equal, if not greater, contribution. Just look at the stats: A person's chance of becoming obese increases by 57 percent if a close friend is obese, 40 percent if a sibling is obese, and 37 percent if a spouse is obese. That's where Thinfluence comes in. Through a research-based examination of various social, environmental, and policy-based issues, renowned Harvard researchers Dr. Walter Willett and Dr. Malissa Wood examine how relationships, workplace, media, and other factors are affecting readers' weights. Thinfluence doesn't tell readers to ditch their friends and family, change jobs, or move to another state. It offers a clear three-step action plan—analyze, act, influence—for readers to identify hidden factors affecting weight, develop a personal toolbox to combat external effects, and become positive influences on others around them.

A fresh approach to overcoming struggles with food, exercise, and body image. From journaling prompts, to practical tips and tricks, this book is packed full of helpful tools and useful information.

The inspiring true story behind the weight-loss saga chronicled on NBC's blockbuster show, The Biggest Loser. There's no getting past it: the Morellis were a fat family. From cookie dough and pizza binges to extreme plastic surgeries, Ron, Becky, Mike and Max Morelli experienced the swinging pendulum of weight loss that so many Americans know all too well. But when Ron and Mike were accepted as contestants on The Biggest Loser, the Morellis' lives changed forever. Ron, at 430 pounds, and 18-year-old Mike, at 388 pounds, made it to the final four, losing a whopping 399 pounds combined. Fat Family/Fit Family also tells the story of wife Becky and youngest son, Max-the story not seen on TV, but relatable to scores of American families, the story of what happens when two foodaholics meet, fall in love, get married and raise (almost inevitably) foodaholic kids. Sharing the eye-opening perspective of each family member, Fat Family/Fit Family chronicles the Morellis' amazing journey in dropping over 700 pounds together, from the emotional and physical struggles of obesity to the triumph of their newfound healthy lifestyle. Obesity doesn't just happen in a vacuum-it starts in homes like the Morellis, and it can end there, too. Fat Family/Fit Family is an ultimately inspiring story about the healing power of family.

From the author of the New York Times Well Blog series, My Fat Dad Every story and every memory from my childhood is attached to food… Dawn Lerman spent her childhood constantly hungry. She craved good food as her father, 450 pounds at his heaviest, pursued endless fad diets, from Atkins to Pritikin to all sorts of freeze-dried, saccharin-laced concoctions, and insisted the family do the same—even though no one else was overweight. Dawn’s mother, on the other hand, could barely be bothered to eat a can of tuna over the sink. She was too busy ferrying her other daughter to acting auditions and scolding Dawn for cleaning the house (“Whom are you trying to impress?”). It was chaotic and lonely, but Dawn had someone she could turn to: her grandmother Beauty. Those days spent with Beauty, learning to cook, breathing in the scents of fresh dill or sharing the comfort of a warm pot of chicken soup, made it all bearable. Even after Dawn’s father took a prestigious ad job in New York City and moved the family away, Beauty would send a card from Chicago every week—with a recipe, a shopping list, and a twenty-dollar bill. She continued to cultivate Dawn’s love of wholesome food, and ultimately taught her how to make her own way in the world—one recipe at a time. In My Fat Dad, Dawn reflects on her colorful family and culinary-centric upbringing, and how food shaped her connection to her family, her Jewish heritage, and herself. Humorous and compassionate, this memoir is an ode to the incomparable satisfaction that comes with feeding the ones you love.

From the creator of Your Fat Friend and co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast, an explosive indictment of the systemic and cultural bias facing plus-size people. Anti-fatness is everywhere. In What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon unearths the cultural attitudes and social systems that have led to people being denied basic needs because they are fat and calls for social justice movements to be inclusive of plus-sized people’s experiences. Unlike the recent wave of memoirs and quasi self-help books that encourage readers to love and accept themselves, Gordon pushes the discussion further towards authentic fat activism, which includes ending legal weight discrimination, giving equal access to health care for large people, increased access to public spaces, and ending anti-fat violence. As she argues, “I did not come to body positivity for self-esteem. I came to it for social justice.” By sharing her experiences as well as those of others—from smaller fat to very fat people—she concludes that to be fat in our society is to be seen as an undeniable failure, unlovable, unforgivable, and morally condemnable. Fatness is an open invitation for others to express disgust, fear, and insidious concern. To be fat is to be denied humanity and empathy. Studies show that fat survivors of sexual assault are less likely to be believed and less likely than their thin counterparts to report various crimes; 27% of very fat women and 13% of very fat men attempt suicide; over 50% of doctors describe their fat patients as “awkward, unattractive, ugly and noncompliant”; and in 48 states, it’s legal—even routine—to deny employment because of an applicant’s size. Advancing fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes will require work from all people. What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a crucial tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin alike.

A book has finally been written to address weight management and health in the family. The 4 Habits of Healthy Families will teach families of all shapes and sizes how to create meals that are healthy and enjoyable. Amy Hendel, lifestyle therapist and health expert, guides families through daily planning, preparation and proportion of food. But, what's more, Amy has fought obesity herself and is also a busy, working mother. She brings personal credibility and expertise to an easy-to-follow and practical health guide. The benefits of improving your family's health don't stop at a healthier, better-feeling family. As you practice Amy's easy program, you'll find your family gathering around the dining-room table more often and seeking out healthy activities to enjoy together. Health will become the platform for a stronger and more closely knit family. In addition to invaluable sidebars and tips, The 4 Habits of Healthy Families is filled with easy and delicious recipes, sample grocery store lists and a plethora of other suggestions to minimize time and maximize output in the kitchen. The 4 Habits of Healthy Families offers a generous amount of support from an author who has fought—and beat—obesity in her own family. Amy Hendel is showing the joys and advantages of making health a family affair. (Originally published as Fat Families, Thin Families by BenBella Books in April 2008.)

In Foodist, Darya Pino Rose, a neuroscientist, food writer, and the creator of SummerTomato.com, delivers a savvy, practical guide to ending the diet cycle and discovering lasting weight-loss through the love of food and the fundamentals of science. A foodist simply has a different way of looking at food, and makes decisions with a clear understanding of how to optimize health and happiness. Foodist is a new approach to healthy eating that focuses on what you like to eat, rather than what you should or shouldn’t eat, while teaching you how to make good decisions, backed up by an understanding of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting is filled with tips on food shopping, food prep, cooking, and how to pick the right restaurants and make smart menu choices.