I tend to be a bit reflexively hostile to those seeking to normalize obesity. It is not, as some would have it, an immutable condition -- I consciously lost 50 pounds when I was in high school and have kept it off since -- and all the data I know of shows imposingly high correlations between "normal" weights and better health. But I may be in the wrong. The data Ampersand marshals to prove dieting unhealthful is both impressive and fairly convincing. I'd be interested to hear what you guys think.
Update: Don reminds me that losing weight when you're young is much easier than when you're older. I wonder if there are differing health impacts as well? And if folks do tend to gain weight rapidly in their 30's, is their some evolutionary advantage it confers?
