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Obesity in America
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Obesity in America

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America's epidemic of obesity is now the subject of a massive public health campaign. We hear about cause and effect and proposed solutions involving The Weight of the Nation. Also, Also, JP Morgan loses $2 billion. Could Dodd-Frank reform have prevented it? On Reporter's Notebook, Joe Arpaio, the elected Sheriff in Phoenix, Arizona, faces court action for what the Obama Justice Department calls "a culture of bias."

Banner image: A child sits in a nutrition class during the Shapedown program for overweight adolescents and children in Aurora, Colorado. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Making News

JP Morgan Loses $2 Billion ()

Since the financial crisis began, the CEO of JP Morgan Chase has been called "The King of Wall Street." But yesterday, Jamie Dimon made a public mea culpa over the unexpected loss of more than $2 billion, which he called an "egregious" mistake. Kevin Roose reports about Wall Street for the New York Times.

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Main Topic

America's Obesity Epidemic and the Culture of Fatness ()

It's common knowledge that Americans live in an environment that promotes obesity.  But, despite years of warnings, they're getting fatter than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Duke University have reported that one third of children from two to 19 are overweight, and by 2030, 42 percent of adults will be obese. The question is what to do. Is the food industry just like Big Tobacco, marketing products that are harmful to health, rather than being nutritious?  Is it time for new regulations? Is it all about brain chemistry?  Are there cultural pressures that make some Americans fat because they want to be? Public agencies, universities and healthcare organizations conducted a conference this week called "The Weight of the Nation," and next week HBO will air a four-part series by the same name.

 

 

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Reporter's Notebook

Sheriff Arpaio Faces Federal Complaint ()

The elected Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona is facing court action for what the Obama Justice Department calls "a culture of bias" in which deputies routinely referred to Latinos as "wetbacks" and "stupid Mexicans." US Attorney Thomas Perez called it "an abuse of power…that disregarded the Constitution, ignored sound police practices, compromised public safety, and did not hesitate to retaliate against perceived critics." At a news conference in Phoenix yesterday, Joe Arpaio called the case against him one motivated by the federal government's dispute over his handling of illegal immigration. Andrew Cohen is legal editor for CBS Radio News and 60 Minutes, and contributing editor at The Atlantic.

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