• Why We Eat (Too Much)

  • The New Science of Appetite
  • By: Dr Andrew Jenkinson
  • Narrated by: John Sackville
  • Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (29 ratings)

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Why We Eat (Too Much)  By  cover art

Why We Eat (Too Much)

By: Dr Andrew Jenkinson
Narrated by: John Sackville
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Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

For more than 20 years, Dr Andrew Jenkinson has helped thousands of people to solve their weight problems. Looking at how we eat today, in this audiobook he explores why modern nutrition has failed us. Why We Eat (Too Much) draws on the latest scientific research on appetite, anthropological insights from food habits around the world and personal stories of healthy and lasting weight loss.

Learn:

  • How to avoid the negative effects of the food and pharma industries.
  • How diets actually work and how each food type nourishes you.
  • Why your hormones can cause weight gain and diabetes.
  • How to lose weight for good, without counting calories.
  • The real impact of geography and major life events on your body.

This audiobook is your one-stop solution to eating well and feeling more energised with no complications to your lifestyle. Jenkinson offers an innovative model for why we all should - and can - enjoy the benefits of dieting without enduring its downsides.

With a new chapter about the link between obesity and COVID-19, this incredible book will help you understand your body better than ever before.

©2020 Dr Andrew Jenkinson (P)2020 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Why We Eat (Too Much)

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Eye opening

A must read if you want to understand the why behind weight loss and gain.

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  • Barry
  • 04-11-21

interesting, convincing and clearly explained

I started off feeling pretty cynical, and was prepared to be quite pernickety about little details, such as assuming cave women couldn't hunt, and calling chloroplasts "the equivalent of animal mitochondria"....However, I listened to the whole book in one sitting, pausing regularly to check information and details against other sources I am more familiar with, and have confidence in, such as BMJ, British heart foundation, etc. Dr Jenkin has got me convinced.

I have come away feeling that this book has thoroughly educated me, deepened my understanding of nutrition and exposed some of my old fashioned, outdated beliefs.

I chose this book, because having started the covid-19 pandemic seriously obese, I have lost 6 stone in the past year, mostly out of fear from seeing so many obese people die, and not wanting to be one of them. I lost the weight by simply eating much less, exercising more, and fighting against temptation all day every day. I very much want to keep the weight off for ever, but I knew I couldn't carry on as I was doing, so needed help adjusting my life style to maintain a healthier weight, particularly now I am vaccinated, no longer seriously afraid, and I need other motivation.

The first thing I did on finishing the book was go into my kitchen and through away my vegetable oil and margarine. They have been replaced with olive oil and butter! This book has equipped me with knowledge and strategies to move into a healthy, sustainable and enjoyable life style, and hopefully keep the weight off for ever.

I will return to this review in 3 months and update

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315 people found this helpful

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  • Bertie
  • 08-23-20

Interesting and thought provoking

I found this a really interesting look at how obesity is more than calories in and calories out. What would help though would be a short pdf if the key facts to accompany the book. Audio books are great for absorbing the long read but I always miss the ability to have a summary of key facts which would typically come with the hard copy.

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  • Bev Scowen
  • 04-30-21

Such an incredibly informative and accessible read

I have been a GP for 20 years and so wish I had read this when I was a medical student. It was a complete revelation. I knew bits of it, like that sugar is a bigger danger to health than fats but no idea how the food industry has manipulated our health to its financial advantage for so long. I wish they could set this as a text for school children. It's truly life changing.

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  • E of the North
  • 02-19-20

A ‘One Stop Shop’ To Understanding The Betrayal Set Upon Us By The Food, Pharmaceutical And Politicians; Also Some Scientists

This book and the underlying sources of genuine research cited within; alongside the publications by Gary Taubes and Professor Roy Taylor clearly demonstrate the way forward in sorting out the major health issues that have resulted from money driven misinformation fed to governments and policy makers. As a person that has tried to follow healthy dietary advice since the emergence of soft margarines in the late 60’s, I now realise that have been seriously misinformed by the key influencers regarding the way we produce, supply and consume food and pharmaceuticals. This book is an important piece of work, please read it.

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  • Grace
  • 05-17-21

Great book until he gets to the end...

Was enjoying the book, seemed like a great scientific look into eating etc until he gets too the end.. and tells you what you CAN'T eat, no bread, pasta, sugar, nuts, and it goes on and on.. How is this not a diet. Call it what it is the set point diet. He tells you fats are fine, eat good meat and diary but doesn't mention one thing about how many people are lactose intolerant or sensitive. No mention of how many meal types and foods we love include wheat and no more vegetable oils, this is strict in my opinion and just another style of diet. NHS says not to restrict any foods and this is what he is telling us to do so i'm confused and super disappointed in the end. A life without pizza or dessert, hmm i'm not sold. No different between counting calories and counting carbohydrates (GL target). Still lots of good info and base but sadly the end was a big let down.

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  • tony rose
  • 08-12-20

thought provoking

May explain my dramatic weight loss which has occurred naturally during lock down (4.5stone) where I've cooked all my own food from fresh and cut out veg oil.

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  • Mr George Howard
  • 05-23-20

Very interesting

As a personal trainer I always thought weight simply came down to burning more calories than consuming. This is clearly not the case and Dr Jenkinson makes a very comprehensive argument to support this, which all makes logical sense.

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  • Denise G cheshire
  • 03-11-20

must read book for me

content made so much sense for how to eat I will be making changes to my lifestyle but they are not to hard to follow

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  • Jana
  • 04-13-21

At Last the Truth!

Firstly John Sackville is wonderful to listen to as he reads this book. I’m so pleased I have it on Audio rather than reading it myself because I have been able to become absorbed in the complete history of why and when humans eat, as well as the history of obesity. I’m diabetic. Jump to being referred to the Diabetes Dietitian a few years ago following my repeated complaints that Government, doctors and NHS advice was killing me with carbs! Brought up on a very Mediterranean menu that sustained me as an athlete I eventually rebelled and said “No more!” Back to my upbringing! Back to being in control of my mind my weight and my blood glucose. Dr Andrew Jenkinson tells it like it is, thank you. All doctors, diabetes nurses and dietitians take heed, your patients will appreciate the effort. Statins? The arguments I had refusing statins that my doctor has spent years telling me I have to take them. Reader/Listener I feel absolved. The Coronavirus section is extremely interesting. I really recommend this book especially to those non diabetic readers who have no idea about the effects of insulin. I am an educator and have thoroughly enjoyed being educated 😁

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  • Josy Lofthouse
  • 11-15-20

Life changer - understanding nutrition & Obesity so much more now

Loved listening to this - I am going to listen to it a 2nd time so I can make notes - absolutely brilliant!

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  • DJHDD
  • 04-07-21

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food

I really enjoyed the narrator of this book...a little too much as his voice kept putting me to sleep, Thank Audible for the rewind button. The insights into appetite however were informative to a certain degree. As someone who is doing a Keto low carb lifestyle I did not get as much information & motivation as I was expecting; however the chapter on metabolic set-point & why the body has a tendency to put back the weight was worth it for the price alone. I only wish there were more "tools" or ways to combat this natural phenomenon. I was left still asking the question just "why do we eat (too much)"

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  • Alex
  • 02-25-20

Education Sensation!

Really learnt a lot in this book. The author breaks things down into easy to understand explanations on how the body works. I understand he has his own theories about what causes weight set points but then all science starts with a theory. His make alot of sense.

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 04-08-21

Well worth the read

Well researched book that genuinely feels like it is on the right track and not just written to sell copies.
I have learnt a lot

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  • MsN
  • 01-08-21

I would highly recommend this book

This book brings together everything you have heard through the years about dieting and food. It gets down to the basics and highlights why there is so much misleading information out there.
Key tenants include gaining an understanding of ‘set point weight’, why whole foods are good- including meat fat provided the animal ate as nature intended (ie grass and not grains), why the balance of Omega fats are so important.
If you’re interested in getting healthy you will enjoy & learn from this book and the narration will not kill you.

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  • Murtski
  • 08-03-21

Not a diet book!!

Extremely thought provoking and engaging, great perspective into the obesity problem and how to fix it.

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