The Secret Life of Fat

The Science Behind the Body's Least Understood Organ and What It Means for You

By: Sylvia Tara

Narrated by: Sylvia Tara

This groundbreaking work of practical, popular science reveals that fat is much smarter than we think.

Fat is an obsession, a dirty word, a subject of national hand-wringing - and, according to biochemist Sylvia Tara, the least understood part of our body.

You may not love your fat, but your body certainly does. In fact your body is actually endowed with many self-defense measures to hold on to fat. For example, fat can use stem cells to regenerate; increase our appetite if it feels threatened; and use bacteria, genetics, and viruses to expand itself. The secret to losing 20 pounds? You have to work with your fat, not against it. Tara explains how your fat influences your appetite and willpower, how it defends itself when attacked, and why it grows back so quickly.

The Secret Life of Fat brings cutting-edge research together with historical perspectives to reveal fat's true identity: an endocrine organ that, in the right amount, is critical to our health. Fat triggers puberty, enables our reproductive and immune systems, and even affects brain size.

Although we spend $60 billion annually fighting fat, our efforts are often misinformed and misdirected. Tara expertly illustrates the complex roles that genetics, hormones, diet, exercise, and history play in our weight, and The Secret Life of Fat sets you on the path to beat the bulge once and for all.

©2016 Sylvia Tara (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Finally, a book that sheds some light on understanding body fat - specifically, its role, why it is so difficult to fight, and how it works differently for different people.... This genuinely enlightening book will be a revelation to those engulfed in self-blame and shame about their weight." (Publishers Weekly)

"[Tara] ably combines an accessible explanation of how the body’s metabolism works with a clear survey of the latest research on obesity. [The Secret Life of Fat] should have wide appeal, not only to those fighting the battle of the bulge." (Kirkus)

"Biochemist Tara gives readers the skinny on fat in a lively discussion that incorporates sumo wrestlers, a bloated diet industry, [and] genetics.... Readers will discover that, regardless of body size and shape, fat does some heavy work on our behalf." (Tony Miksanek, Booklist)

"Body fat is so much more than a passive calorie storage depot, as Sylvia Tara brilliantly shows. Read The Secret Life of Fat to make friends with this misunderstood and critically important organ." (David S. Ludwig, MD, PhD, Professor, Harvard Medical School and author of the number one New York Times best seller Always Hungry?)