chapter 1

"Are you ready, Alice?" asked Doctor Cooper, smiling kindly at her patient.

Alice took a deep breath. Now was the last chance to back out.

She nodded.

Doctor Cooper opening the door onto the stage of the conference hall and led Alice out under the lights. She could feel the heat from the bulbs on her skin, mostly exposed apart from nude tight shorts and a matching cami.

"Fellow doctors" Dr Cooper addressed the audience of 200 colleagues "obesity is a threat to the health of the country. We think it's as simple as telling our patients to lose weight, but we fail to take into account the pleasure they take from eating and, in many cases, over eating.

"We've all read the studies, but Alice has kindly agreed to help us see this in practice."

Alice took a seat at a glass table in the centre of the stage.

A nurse walked to her and placed a heart rate monitor between her large pendulous breasts, unsupported under the cami. A blood pressure cuff was tightened and dug into the pink flesh have her flabby upper arm. Monitoring pads were taped to her temples.

"As you can see" Doctor Cooper continued "we can monitor Alice's physical and brain activity as she eats." Doctor Cooper nodded in to the wings of the stage and assistants brought out a huge tray of lasagne, four pepperoni pizzas and a gallon jug of vanilla milkshake made with rich ice cream and placed them on the glass table.

The large monitor on the stage immediately showed Alice's heart rate increase at just the site of the food and the assembled physicians murmured.

Dr Cooper smiled kindly "Whenever you're ready, Alice."

Alice started with one of the thickly loaded, greasy pizzas. Eating tentatively at first, then being absorbed by eating.

"Alice has now eaten what we would consider an unhealthy meal for one. What we would recommend our patients consume as an occasional treat.

"Alice, are you full or would you like to eat more?"

"I'd like more please, Doctor Cooper."

Dr Cooper gestured to the monitor "Alice is showing a medium response to pleasure at the moment. We have deliberately selected a savoury menu to avoid a false result from the well known effects on the brain and body of chocolate. It appears it is the act of eating, over eating and stuffing beyond a rational point, that can cause a surprising reaction."

Alice had almost finished her second pizza and could feel her belly, already over hanging on to her legs, swelling. Her tight flesh coloured cami had ridden up and her roundness was able to be viewed and assessed through the glass table by all those watching.