Trying to Slim an Obese Nation

We are getting heavier. On average, U.S. adults weigh 24 pounds more than they did in 1960. And in that same time, obesity among children and teens has tripled, from nearly 5% to 15%. The strategies needed to put the nation on a weight-loss plan are obvious. So how do we put those strategies into action?

Obesity is Costing Us $300 Billion Every Year

A new study by the Society of Actuaries – those folks who figure out all the odds that help insurance companies make money – estimates that the total economic cost of overweight and obese people in the U.S. and Canada is $300 billion a year.

Poll: Are we eating right?

Consumer Reports, the folks that usually tell us the best product to buy, are asking if we know what to eat. In a survey of 1,200 adults nine out of 10 respondents said their diets were “somewhat,” “very,” or “extremely” healthy. Yet the survey turned up some responses that say otherwise.