Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-97) and index.

Dieting can cause health problems / Gretchen Voss -- Calorie restriction improves and extends life / Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill -- Claims that calorie restricted diets extend life are exaggerated / Tom Venuto -- Vegetarian diets help prevent disease / Winston J. Craig and Ann Reed Mangels -- Vegetarian diets can be problematic / Victoria Anisman-Reiner -- Vegetarian diets do not adversely affect athletes / Jonah Keri -- Fad diets promote unhealthy eating habits / Roberta Larson Duyff -- Fat acceptance promotes well-being / Elizabeth Sutherland -- Fasting and juice cleansing can heal the body / Elson M. Haas -- Broad eating patterns are healthier than restrictive diets / Katherine Hobson -- The emphasis on dieting harms girls / Jeffrey Zaslow -- Mothers' obsession with dieting harms sons as well as daughters / Renee Martinez.

"Can Diets Be Harmful?: Dieting Can Cause Health Problems; Calorie Restriction Improves and Extends Life; Claims that Calorie Restricted Diets Extend Life Are Exaggerated; Vegetarian Diets Help Prevent Disease; Vegetarian Diets Can Be Problematic; Vegetarian Diets Do Not Adversely Affect Athletes; Fad Diets Promote Unhealthy Eating Habits; Fat Acceptance Promotes Well-Being; Fasting and Juice Cleansing Can Heal the Body; Fasting and Cleansing Diets Can Be Physically Dangerous; Broad Eating Patterns Are Healthier than Restrictive Diets; The Emphasis on Dieting Harms Girls; Mothers' Obsession with Dieting Harms Sons as well as Daughters"--