In this practical text the term "hunger diseases" is used to include all those disorders that are based on a lack of self-esteem. The author deals with a wide variety of problems in this area, not just involving anorexia, bulimia and obesity, but also including hunger in depressives, gastrointestinal disturbances, cardiovascular disorders and their relationship to hunger for attention, as well as emotional hunger in life-threatening situations involving serious illnesses and starvation. The theme is not restricted to a purely medical view, but also encompasses sociological, political, philosophical and religious considerations. The book is intended for psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, secondary school teachers, general medical practitioners, health care professionals and social workers.