Diet and Health; With Key to the Calories

"Diet and Health; With Key to the Calories" by Lulu Hunt Peters is a health and diet guide written in the early 20th century. It focuses on educating readers about weight management, providing insights and practical advice on both gaining and losing weight through dietary choices and exercise. The book is aimed particularly at those struggling with overweight issues while also addressing the concerns of individuals looking to gain weight in a healthy manner. The opening of the text introduces the author's apologetic and somewhat humorous tone, establishing her intent to offer practical dietary advice while hinting at the multifaceted nature of weight management. Peters explains the complexity of food knowledge as crucial for anyone wishing to address their weight, whether they seek to lose or gain it. Readers are informed about a simple formula to calculate ideal weight based on height, as well as the importance of understanding calories—setting the stage for a more in-depth exploration of diet and nutrition. Overall, the beginning illustrates Peters' candid style and her determination to provide useful insights for readers, engaging them in discussions about health and wellness in a humorous yet informative way. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Lulu Hunt Peters (1873–1930) was an American physician and writer who wrote a featured newspaper column entitled Diet and Health, which she followed up with a best-selling book, Diet & Health: With Key to the Calories. She was the first person to widely popularize the concept of counting calories as a method of weight loss. It was also the first weight-loss book to become a bestseller.