I'm the youngest daughter of a family of 4 girls. Our parents were overweight and we are all overweight. All the women in my family have had their gall bladders removed. We all have joint trouble and varying degrees of digestive trouble. We grew up on home made cakes, chocolate and deserts.

I've always been very proud of the fact that though overweight to the point of obesity my blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol have been fantastic. I figured that if these things were fine, I was fine and I would go and scarf down another vanilla slice.

I might have known it would get me somehow. My knees have given out and my spine is a mess and I'm only 53. I saw 'Sweet Poison' in the book shop 2 weeks ago and found myself buying it. I quickly went out and bough the next book. My grown children duck and run now. I have turned into an evangilist! It's as if David crawled into my head and turned my brain around...wish me luck...it's great so far.....