We are witnessing a gathering global health crisis of epic proportions. The crisis is obesity and the diseases linked to it - hypertension, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. While multinational drug companies race to find a cure, the problem only worsens, with experts declaring that the UK is the second most obese nation on the planet and that 31,000 deaths a year in Britain are obesity related. In a rare blend of reportage, history, cutting-edge science and personal stories, acclaimed science writer Ellen Ruppel Shell builds a compelling narrative culminating in a radical call to arms. Her book is the definitive account of how the western world got fat - and what we can do about it.