valentines to students from schools in other countries.

This is a beautifully produced work. The background information section combines compelIing photography wilh well-designed layout and graphies . Il is an excellent review' of the problem, the causes, and possible solutions to world hunger; and il could be reproduced for separate distribution as a general re­source for public education. Because the curriculum is not bound, lessons and information can be duplicated as needed by teaching staff, and individuallessons can be integrated into the existing curriculum.

This work abounds with a genuine concern for huma nit y and a commit ment to the moral and ethical education of our young people. As nutritionists and educators, we are concerned with the dilemma of hunger, and with the situation so graphically described by Lester Brown: "The world is, economi­cally speaking, two worlds- . . . one overfed and overweight, one hungry and malnourished .... " This curriculum is a valuable resource for educating o ur­selves and our students to help change that reality.

C CONSUMER EDUCATION~ '----- COUNSELING _____ ...J

BOOKLETS

The Body's Set Point. The Nutrition Company, 1984. From The Nutrition Company, Box 11102, Tallahassee, FL 32302, 17 pp., stapIed, $3.00. AIso available: What Have You Got to Lose? 1984, 33 pp., stapled, $4.50.

The Bodys Set Point defends the theory that people have a set point for body weight, a point above whieh the body tends to lose weight and below which it tends to gain weight. Many examples and analogies are used to explain how the body adjusts energy output and intake to maintain its set point. Exercise is suggested to increase the set point. The notion of an ideal weight is refuted, and the ide a of a healthy set-point weight with a moderate and acceptable degree of fatness is promoted.

The suggestion that people accept a high, but healthy, ide al weight is to be commended, if it encourages sorne dieters to accept the fact that they were not made to be th in, and if it prevents dieters from using possible harmful weight-loss me­thods. An overfat and overweight per­son, however, may be misled into

168 JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION

EDUCA TIONAL MA TERIALS

accepting the set-point theory as fact, when the scientific evidence supporting it is mostly From animal studies.

ln summary, this booklet seems most appropriate for the well-educated pers on interested in weight control. The lengthy explanations and the layout of the booklet will keep the average person from reading il. Professionals will be disappointed in the lack of scientific referentes to support the set-point theory.

The book let Whot Have You Got To Lose promotes diet, exercise, and be­havior modification as a sensible ap­proach to weight loss. A comprehensive overview of the princip les of weight re­duction is presented, including a detailed review of the physiological pitfalls of fad diets. The booklet contains a chart that rates 15 popular diets but the small type size limits ils usefulness.

Overall, the information on weight control is goad. The recommendations for diet and exercise, however, have a few shortcomings. For example, the booklet presents the ADA exchange system as a good diet but fails to include the exchanges in the booklet, instead re­ferring the reader to the American Dietetic Association for the ex changes. AIso, although aerobic activity is en­couraged and instructions for determin­ing maximum heart rate are included, instructions on how to count the pulse rate are not. Moreover, the booklet's verbosity, its long paragraphs, and its lack of pictures detract from its readabil­ity.

This bookIet seems most appropriate for the well-educated and motivated pers on interested in weight reduction. Professionals involved in weight reduc­tion counseling may find the arguments against fad diets useful. An average pers on interested in losing weight, however, may find the somewhat techni­cal and lengthy explanation of fad diets boring and the guidelines for diet , exercise, and behavior modification too scanty to be used without guidance.

Candace Allen, M.S., R.D., Private Pra cti ce, 7027 Storch Ln., Seabrook, MD 20706.

COOK BOOK

Do Cook for One!. Osborne, K., 1985. From K-D Enterprises, Box 66594, Seattle, WA 98166, 210 pp., softcover, spiralbound, $8.95 plus $1.05 postage and handling, Washington residents add 70C: sales tax.

This is a basic cook book for the single person, with nutrition information and

food preparation hints sprinkled throughout. Recipes and menus are based on the Four Food Groups, with a Iist of calcium-rich alternatives included for people who don't tolerate milk weil. Recipes are designed for one to two servings, and make limited use of convenience foods such as canned soup and meat products. A few recipes contain calorie information, and sorne have instructions for reducing the sodium content. The chapter on "special di et helps" briefly discusses sodium- and sugar-reduced diets, losing weight, and gaining weight. Additional nutrient in­formation is found in the index Iists of low-calorie, low-sodium, and low-sugar recipes, and in lists of foods high in fiber and potassium.

Following the introductory pages, the book con tains nine chapters: menus and snacks; soups and chowders; salads and dressings; entrees (including vegetarian dishes); fruits and vegetables; sauces; breads, cereals, and rice; special diet heIps; and misceIlaneous. The four-page section on weight control is quite weIl done. The author lists low-calorie foods (less than 50 calories) in the Four Food Groups, fruits and vegetables with negligible calories (under 25), and "aImost aIl you can eat" foods . Readers who want to follow a 1000-calorie diet can make 20 choices from the Four Food Group Iists, in addition to the use of negligible-calorie foods and free foods.

AIthough this book is aimed at the single cook of any age, much of the information seems especially pertinent to seniors. The type is large and very easy to read, and information is included about senior feeding programs. The emphasis throughout is on encouraging simple, creative cooking and menu planning for good health and economy.

1 would like to have seen the Dietary Guidelines mentioned, as weil as a brief discussion of other nutrients of concern, such as cholesterol and fats . This information could have been incorpor­ated into the Four Food Groups format,

VOLUME 17 NUMBER 4 1985