Those of you with HBO access (we don't have it) may want to watch the Weight of the Nation series. An amazingly complex problem rooted in the mismatch between our bodies that have evolved to require a certain level of activity and nutrition, as well our ability to deal with long periods of having poor access to food, and the recent widespread availability of plentiful food coupled with a large reduction in exercise during normal life.
The consequences are troubling and entrenched industries have grown that make change difficult. Even the First Ladies Efforts to make a difference for children was politicized and subsequently watered down...
Some of the best publically accessible information on the subject is from Yale's Rudd Center. And Cornell studies the psychology of eating that impacts how and what we eat -- really fascinating. Brian Wansink, its director, has a nice book out for the general public.
