Chris Clarke linked to this and I found this one fact to be startling:
Advertisements are constantly promoting foods that are fried and high in fat and sugar. The fact that children can be exposed to such ads through television, might explain the strong relationships found between television viewing and obesity in children. High sugar drinks probably contribute to weight gain as well. Just one extra glass of soda or fruit drinks per day can increase a child’s risk of becoming obese by 60%. This evidence makes a strong case for limiting the amount of high sugar drinks consumed by children [emphasis mine].
Think about that next time you see some kid getting a 20 oz soda from a machine or at Mickey D’s. Ask yourself when he last drank 20 oz of water or 8 oz of milk.
Michael Pollan already says more about processed foods and better than I can, and Clarke also links to this piece on the global reach of obesity. The comments from readers are informative as well: people want to eat/live better but the economies of scale society has been taught to value are undermining that.