The media inundates us with messages about the "epidemic" of overweight and obese Americans, and they make dire predictions about the health of kids and teenagers. Meanwhile nutritionists and doctors often say that kids and teenagers should not diet. Psychologists add that girls should never be told they need to diet or hear negative comments about their size, for fear of adding to the number of teens today starving themselves, choosing unhealthy dieting options, and developing eating disorders. This important book provides young readers with the information they need to sort out these mixed messages and use their critical thinking skills to weigh the data and to understand healthy choices.