Summary of Richard J. Johnson's Nature Wants Us to Be Fat

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Book Preview: #1 Obesity, the condition of having excess fat, is typically viewed as bad and unhealthy. However, obesity is a savior that allows animals to survive deadly winters or droughts.

#2 Animals that migrate and hibernate increase their food intake in the fall to prepare for the cold winter ahead. By eating more while using less energy, more of the food they eat is turned into fat.

#3 The law of nature states that the fittest survive, but in some situations, it may be the fattest that survive. Fat provides a key protection when food is unavailable.

#4 Gandhi led campaigns for the independence of India from the British Empire. He would dress in a loincloth traditionally worn by the poor, and only ate vegetables because he did not believe in killing animals for food. He would protest by walking in long marches.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Mar 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669357582

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

Book preview

Insights on Richard Johnson's Nature Wants Us to Be Fat

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Obesity, the condition of having excess fat, is typically viewed as bad and unhealthy. However, obesity is a savior that allows animals to survive deadly winters or droughts.

#2

Animals that migrate and hibernate increase their food intake in the fall to prepare for the cold winter ahead. By eating more while using less energy, more of the food they eat is turned into fat.

#3

The law of nature states that the fittest survive, but in some situations, it may be the fattest that survive. Fat provides a key protection when food is unavailable.

#4

Gandhi led campaigns for the independence of India from the British Empire. He would dress in a loincloth traditionally worn by the poor, and only ate vegetables because he did not believe in killing animals for food. He would protest by walking in long marches.

#5

When we do not eat, we have to rely on the food we store in our tissues: our fat. The more fat we have, the longer we can fast.

#6

The ideal weight for a person to live longer is considered to be a BMI of 27. Being mildly overweight is associated with improved survival for people at risk for severe illness, such as cancer, heart disease, or kidney failure, and for individuals more than seventy years old.

#7

The theory is that the cost of storing fat is some oxidative stress to our energy factories, which leads to reduced function in and even the loss of these factories over time. This is why reducing caloric intake can make you both look younger and live longer.

#8

There is not an ideal percentage of body fat that a person should have, as the optimal amount depends on the situation. If you are skinny and keep your caloric intake low in a society in which food is abundant, you will do well and live a long life. However, if you have a chronic illness or are older, it is better to have some