Overweight Epidemic

"Overweight and obesity are associated with heart disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological disorders, such as depression",according to the Surgeon General.
The numbers are staggering when it comes to the economic cost of obesity(BMI-25) which was $117 billion as of 2000, affecting 61% of the population and traversing all genders, races and age groups, with the most dramatic rise in teens over the last 20 years.
I think it's hard to conceive of the enormity of the problem, when you hear so often in the mainstream media about anorexia and bulimia,it's shocking to realize that so many are affected by obesity in this great nation,while many other nations are facing hunger or starvation.None of these are good problems to have,but it seems to me that $117 billion would go a long way toward solving any of them!
Overweight and obesity is a very serious and it has made me think about what possibly could be at the root of the problem. It did occur to me that the problem seems to have escalated in direct correlation with rise in consumption of fast food by an entire generation,related to the rise in women working outside of the home and having no time to prepare nutritious meals.....however, I don't mean to over simplify. There are many factors that no doubt have attributed to the problem as well., but lose gradually and sensibly.