Almost in every instance the cause of excessive weight is obvious: those people are gaining weight, who eat more than their body needs. Some full-figured ladies say: “But I nearly starve myself and still put on weight!”

It’s true, their breakfast, lunch and supper are not more abundant than those of their slender friends, but in between those meals they have so many bites that nearly double their daily ration.

Those “little bites” usually include sweets, biscuits, jam served with tea, or a small bag of pistachios, 100 g of which contribute 700 calories and by one third increase the nutritive value of the day’s ration.