Malden Nesheim & Marion Nestle 
Why Calories Count [EPUB ebook] 
From Science to Politics

Introduction 
Part One. Understanding Calories: It All Starts with the Science 
1. What Is a Calorie? 
2. The History: From Ancient Greece to Modern Calorie Science 
3. Foods: How Scientists Count the Calories 
4. Bodies: How Scientists Measure the Use of Calories 
Part Two. Why You Need Calories: Survival, Warmth, and Work 
5. Metabolism: How the Body Turns Food into Energy 
6. The First Use of Calories: Basic Life Functions 
7. The Second Use: Heat Losses while Metabolizing Food 
8. The Third Use: Physical Activity 
Part Three. Calorie Intake and Its Regulation 
9. How Many Calories Do You Need? 
10. Calorie Confusion: The Struggle to Estimate Intake 
11. Secret Calories: Alcohol 
12. Calorie Regulation: The Body’s Complex Weight Management System
Part Four. Too Few Calories 
13. Starvation and Its Effects on the Body 
14. Individuals, Communities, Nations: Calories and Global Hunger 
15. Could Restricting Calories Prolong Human Life? 
Part Five. Too Many Calories 
16. An Introduction to Obesity 
17. Calories and Weight Gain: Another Complex Relationship 
18. Do Excess Calories Make Some People Gain Weight Faster than Others? 
19. Are All Calories Created Equal? 
20. Do Some Kinds of Diets Work Better than Others? 
Part Six. The Politics of Calories: A Closer Look 
21. Today’s “Eat More” Environment: The Role of the Food Industry 
22. More Calorie Confusion: Portion Distortion, Health Halos, and Wishful Thinking 
23. Calorie Labeling: Science and Politics 
24. Alcohol Labels: Industry vs. Consumers 
25. Will Calorie Labels Help Fight Obesity? 
Conclusion: How to Cope with the Calorie Environment 
Appendix One. Selected Events in the History of Calories, 1614 – 1919 
Appendix Two. The Respiratory Quotient (RQ) 
Appendix Three. Frequently Asked Questions 
Notes 
List of Tables 
List of Figures 
Acknowledgments 
Index

Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health and Professor of Sociology at New York University. She is the author of What to Eat and, from UC Press, Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health; Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety; and Pet Food Politics: The Chihuahua in the Coal Mine. Malden Nesheim is Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University. He is coauthor (with Marion Nestle) of Feed Your Pet Right: The Authoritative Guide to Feeding Your Dog and Cat and (with Ann L. Yaktine) of the Institute of Medicine report Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks.