Peter D. Vash, MD, MPH, FACE, assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCLA Medical Center and Fellow of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, is a board-certified internist specializing in endocrinology and metabolism and a Diplomat in Obesity Medicine. He is the past president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians and served on the Board of the North American Society for the Study of Obesity (NASSO). Dr. Vash works in private practice with patients suffering from obesity and eating disorders and has lectured extensively nationally and internationally on the medical management and treatment of obesity. He has been an invited expert witness to speak before a U.S. Senate subcommittee and the FTC concerning medical weight-loss issues and the safety and impact of commercial weight-loss programs. He has written four books: The Fat to Muscle Diet, The Dieter’s Dictionary, A Matter of Fat: A Physician’s Program, and Lose It and Keep It Off. He has served on the board of Shape Magazine, writing numerous articles regarding health, fitness, and weight problems. Dr. Vash has worked closely in consultation with the media (TV, radio, print), aiding them with information and explanations of issues regarding obesity and eating disorders. He is currently the executive medical director of the Lindora Medical Clinics, the largest and oldest medical weight-loss clinic in Southern California.