Did you know that an 18th century Swedish king ate himself to death at a feast? Or that Maria Callas swallowed a tapeworm to try to control her weight? People throughout the ages have turned to bizarre dietary regimes to shape their bodies. This book covers so many interesting moments in food history, from cannibals to fasting, moral diets to extreme weight loss, fad diets to war rationing, and the diagnosis of eating disorders to Elvis. At the same time, readers learn history, science, nutrition, and social studies. Sidebars bring extra fun to the chapters, and incredible full-color art makes each fact pop.