While this article presents a decent analysis, I think it has overlooked certain truths about obesity. Obesity in the US is inversely related to income. The less you have, the more likely you are to be obese.

Those "bargain big portions" are targeted at low income people. I have a friend who has worked at the Olive Garden, and she said that as soon as the Unlimited Pasta Bowl deal comes on (it's seasonal in my state), all of a sudden the restaurant is filled with low income people who never eat there any other time. Restaurants like Hometown Buffet, and 7-11, which was cited in the article, cater toward lower income customers as well.

In low income families, working mothers don't make for more disposable income; they often are the income. And there are other reasons the poor have become obese. Pre-prepared, high sodium foods are cheaper, faster, and easier. It's almost impossible to shop organic or healthy on food stamps, as Oregon Governor Kulongoski discovered when he lived on them for a week. Schools in low income regions don't have the money to provide local or organic options to their schools, which doesn't help with childhood obesity.

I don't think obesity has leveled off because people are eating out more. It's a deeper rooted problem than that. If it were spread evenly throughout our population, I'd say that would be a good explanation.

If you doubt that poverty and obesity are linked, go to a Wal-Mart and then an Ann Taylor Loft someday. Compare the customers, the sizes, and the prices. You'll likely be left with little doubt.

What IF poor people are often fatter than rich people?

You have really shmeared together a lot of words that do NOT diagnose a problem or even suggest a treatment.

Is the whole country going soft in the head (besides the belly)?

It's clear that some kind of false education is giving us a lot of people who have writing tools but mere moods to express.

Demographics?? Have you studied Spiegelman?

At least the old-time yentas never heard of demographics"! And they could get to the point real fast!

Yes. I'm going out to visit Ann Taylor Lofts and Wal-Marts to look at fat people today before I kvell about Michelle!

It's true that it costs more to live a healthy lifestyle-I eat an extremely healthy diet and I can spent upwards of $70 on a few days worth of food at the grocery store (produce, tofu, organic cereals...these things are EXPENSIVE...boxed mac and cheese, not so much). I actually spend much less when I am eating out a lot than when I shop in a grocery store, so I think the article may have things backwards for certain groups of people.

But honestly, I truly believe that a huge percentage of the "obesity problem" is lack of movement in every day life. And this affects anyone, rich or poor, who lives in suburbs. Personally, I lived in the suburbs for 2 years and gained a LOT of weight, while having the same exercise habits (working out or running every day) and maintaining the same diet as when I lived in the city. In the suburbs, even if you belong to a gym, you have to drive to get there. Plus there's the added suburban problem that going to the grocery store is a procedure- you don't run in on the way home from work and grab something to eat that night. Instead you drive the car, park it, and fill it up with enough food for 2 weeks. I willing to bet that highly urban areas (which are more expensive to live in at all levels) have lower obesity and other somewhat related health problems.

All stuff together, it seems like spending more money (saving less) is probably correlated with decreased obesity...

I don't, reading this, I see correlation but not causation.

In grad school, I managed to eat pretty healthy on $20/week. I'm hypoglycemic, so eating processed junk would result in a hospital stay. Most of what I made took a lot more effort than making processed food and usually tasted worse. I was working and studying 60-80 hours a week and never liked cooking. But being willing to forgo short term pleasures for long term gains was the reason I was in grad school in the first place.