From Publishers Weekly
This engaging collection of essays by academic anthropologists examines fat as a symbol of aesthetics, social status, economic success and cultural belonging. Many of the pieces look at foreign societies or marginal subcultures that, contrary to the fat-phobic Western norm, view fat as a sign of beauty, health and prosperity. Rebecca Popenoe studies villages in Niger where women try to be as fat as possible, while Kulick and Matti Bunzl explore the world of fat porn. Joan Gross writes about phat rappers whose girth is taken as evidence of masculine potency and financial success, and Julia Harrison writes about the role of Spam in the construction of Native Hawaiian identity. Mary Weismantel probes Andean legends of white fat-sucking vampires—metaphors, she thinks, for the exploitation of Indian communities by the elite. Articles on mainstream Western attitudes toward fat uncover even more strangeness. Fanny Ambjörnsson details the byzantine ways Swedish high school girls talk about fat; Kulick and Thaïs Machado-Borges expose the odd Brazilian enthusiasm for intestinal leakage as proof that fat-dissolving pills are working; and Margaret Wilson asks why Starbucks patrons order their coffee with skim milk—only to dump whipped cream on top. The writers wear their scholarly apparatus lightly and offer a readable, thought-provoking survey of one of the most intimate and complicated issues of contemporary life. Photos. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An eclectic and highly original examination of one of the most dynamic concepts-and constructs-in the world. With more than one billion overweight adults in the world today, obesity has become an epidemic. But fat is not as straightforward-or even as uni-versally damned-as one might think. Enlisting thirteen anthropologists and a fat activist, editors and anthropologists Don Kulick and Anne Meneley have produced an (more…)

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The Omron HBF-306C Body Fat Analyzer measures your body fat with a gentle, micro electrical current — don’t worry, you won’t feel it. The key to long-term exercise success is accurate body fat composition measurement. This handheld body fat analyzer is an affordable and easy way to measure your body fat in the privacy of your own home. After inputting the data, a measurement can be started by simply holding the grip electrodes and pressing the start button. And since the analyzer is built with a nine person profile memory, each member of your family or team can track the success of their individual exercise routines. The Omron HBF-306C measures body fat with a micro electrical current. Detailed view. The screen displays body fat measurements and other data. Detailed view. Easy-to-use, handheld design. The HBF-306C features two modes — athlete and normal — for accurate results. The device is a breeze to use, and it returns measurement results in seven seconds for both Bi method (Bioelectrical Impedance Method) and BMI (Body Mass Index). The unit displays the measured value of your body fat percentage through the BMI method, and indicates the body mass in for ranges from low, normal, high, and very high according to the BMI value. What is the Bioelectrical Impedance Method? Muscles, blood vessels and bones are body tissues having a high water content that conduct electricity easily. Body fat is tissue that has little electric conductivity. The Body Fat Analyzer sends an extremely weak electrical current of 50 kHz and 500 µA through your body to determine the amount of fat tissue. This weak electrical current is not felt while operating the Body Fat Analyzer. The Bioelectrical Impedance Method safely combines the electric resistance with the distance of the electricity conducted. Correct posture and consistent measuring conditions need to be maintained for the best results. Operating the Analyzer To use the HBF-306C you must first set (more…)

Amazon.com ReviewJennifer McLagan’s Pumpkin and Bacon Soup Jennifer McLagan is a chef, food stylist, and writer who has worked in London and Paris as well as her native Australia. Her book, Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes, won the Best Single Subject Cookbook award, as well as Cookbook of the Year, at the 2009 James Beard Awards. Her first book, Bones, was widely acclaimed, winning the James Beard Award for single-subject food writing. She is a regular contributor to Fine Cooking and Food & Drink. She has lived in Toronto for more than 27 years with her sculptor husband, Haralds Gaikis, with whom she escapes to Paris as often as possible. On both sides of the Atlantic, Jennifer maintains friendly relations with her butchers, who put aside their best fat and bones for her. (Photo © Rob Fiocca) Pumpkin and Bacon Soup (Makes 3 quarts/3 l) Ingredients 1/2 pound/225 g side (slab) bacon 1 large onion, sliced 1 stalk celery, sliced 1 large sprig sage hubbard squash or other firm, dry pumpkin or winter squash (about 3-1/3 pounds/1.5 kg) 8 cups/2 l water Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper DirectionsRemove the rind and any hard, dry skin from the bacon. Cut the bacon into 1/4-inch/6-mm dice.Place a large saucepan over low heat, add the bacon pieces, and cook gently so they render their fat. When most of their fat is rendered, add the onion, celery, and sage, stirring to coat with the fat. Cook until the vegetables soften slightly, about 7 minutes.Cut the squash into quarters and remove the seeds. Peel the squash and coarsely chop into smaller, even-sized pieces. Set aside.Pour 1 cup/250 ml of the water into the pan with the vegetables, increase the heat to high and, using a wooden spoon, deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add the remaining 7 cups/1.75 l water, the squash pieces, 1 tablespoon of salt, and some pepper. Bring the mixture (more…)