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  • Gene Eating

  • The Science of Obesity and the Truth About Diets
  • By: Dr Giles Yeo
  • Narrated by: Dr Giles Yeo
  • Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (188 ratings)
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Gene Eating cover art

Gene Eating

By: Dr Giles Yeo
Narrated by: Dr Giles Yeo
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Summary

Cambridge geneticist Dr Giles Yeo has dedicated over 20 years to studying how genes influence our eating habits. Instead of looking at how we have become obese, Gene Eating tackles the question of why some people eat more than others.

The UK has the biggest waistlines in Western Europe and an enormous problem of other diet-related illnesses. Our modern lifestyle, coupled with the food environment, has made weight loss the biggest public health quest of today; more of us than ever before are desperately bingeing on unreliable promises made online, on food labels or by the recent proliferation of food 'gurus' who are hungry for a slice of the multimillion-pound diet industry.

Written with his accessible, good-humoured style, Gene Eating unravels this hugely complex answer and argues that understanding our genes and the biology of our food intake is essential if we are to effectively tackle the obesity epidemic and improve our health. This pioneering book is a ray of light in our murky 'post-truth' climate - a celebration of evidence-based science that everyone can digest.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Giles Yeo (P)2018 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

Gene Eating is one of the clearest attempts I have come across to explain complicated science. It is an entertaining read, full of lively anecdotes and self-deprecating humour... It is hard to imagine a more likeable guide than Yeo, or a more level-headed one. But if he sometimes makes us laugh in this wise, sensible book, his message is deadly serious. (Christina Patterson)

[An] engaging and accessible book. (Caroline Sanderson)

A hard-to-fault book written in a way that entertains as well as it informs... Yeo's study of human appetite is packed with insights and revelations, incorporating up-to-date scientific thinking... It's an anti-diet diet book you can trust. (Garry Bushell)

What listeners say about Gene Eating

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Good read but that depends what you were looking for.

I first saw Giles Yeo on the investigative telly programme on diet and eating. As well as being entertaining, an obesity geneticist he seems like a guy who is worth listening to. His Gut Health book was informative particularly for someone who has recently been diagnosed with Crohns and would like to be a bit better informed. So I was looking forward to a more in-depth book. You have got this here however be warned it isn’t a practical self help book. ( I should have read the blurb more closely) it’s more academic. It’s fascinating and knowing things like, some people actually ARE hungrier than others and what the fundamental flaws are in some diets are. All is worthwhile. ( I think I’ll try the Mediterranean diet and eat less red meat and smaller portion sizes, but that’s quite common sense) I do wish he would write a more practical book though maybe in conjunction with a dietitian. He’s got the credibility just need the ‘self help bit’. Personally I’d like, ‘Crohns what to eat when 5 a day is off the menu.’ But that’s just me!

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12 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Accessible and interesting

This is for you if you want to learn more about the scientific consensus and the underlying body of evidence behind some of the more popular 'diets'.

It is very accessible and he talks quite a bit about what he learnt while making some of his BBC shows and other articles. And the backlash he experienced afterward from some of the more strident diet followers (clean eating, plant based in particular). This bit is a bit moany maybe, but important to understand the silencing that can happen when people get zealous about their diet.

It also goes into detail about the dangers of orthorexia and disordered eating and anxiety that can be exacerbated by current instagram culture and the 'eat like me, look like me' messaging.

The information on the complex role genes and our current environment play in obesity is also very interesting, and is a good attempt to reduce the blame and taboo around obesity.

There is solid advice around eating healthily, particularly for weight loss. This is basically, healthy Mediterranean diet, everything in moderation, exercise to maintain weight loss in the long term, there are no quick fixes.

Overall interesting lesson from a likeable author, well narrated.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb!

An enjoyable journey from the science of eating through to current diets and the truth behind them. Thoroughly recommended.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly recommended

A great listen...Dr Geo explains the science and common sense about obesity with a great sense of humour and passion. Inspirational.

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Too little genes and too much rant.

Nothing new here, just a rehash of his appearances in tv diet programmes and a rant against the diet industry. Apparently too little of anything INCLUDING SUGAR is bad for you! I noted many statements like this (to my mind dodgy, outdated or unproven.) Finally the epilogue tells us just how little is known about genes and eating, after twenty years of research.

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Inspirationalal

I am so grateful to my son-in-law for buying me this book for my 68th birthday. As a slim’ish woman with decades of set opinions on my eating , I have now learned loads of new information which will affect how I eat in future. I will now listen to it a second time to make sure I’ve taken it all on board. Thank you Dr Yeo. Top man! Brilliant book and so interesting.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Easy listen guide to the science

Narrated by the author himself this was an easy to listen to explanation of the science and the fake science of some fad diets. I enjoyed his down to earth style, humour and his voice, which was relaxed and natural, altogether soothing. His cockney accent could do with some work though.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Extremely Interesting

I found this audio book extremely interesting. Dr Yeo does well to explain the complexity of genes and biology to even the most average of Joe's like myself. His voice is great to listen to and as someone who has always been in and out of verious different diets I found the science behind why some work and some don't very interesting.

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Very informative

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to This audiobook, it's so refreshing to hear such common sense advice in a world of such conflicting opinions about obesity. I found the information delivered by Dr Yoe was put across in an easy to understand and very humorous way. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this book.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic book filled with great info

Loved it! Giles provided great scientifically backed information in a extremely understandable manner about all the topics the general population tend to care about debunking most of the myths you tend to hear in the health and wellness space

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