A new study, called "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2012" predicts that at least half of Americans in 39 states will be obese-about 30 pounds overweight-by 2030. This will fuel millions more cases of diabetes, heart disease and stroke and could bring our already overburdened health care system to its knees.  Estimates are that caring for the medical consequences of obesity will run between $147 billion and $210 billion a year.

But our problem is not just that fast food tastes good or that sodas come in big cups. Our problem is that Americans are addicted to many, many drugs-and food is one of the most available drugs around.  It's a big way (pun intended) that people avoid confronting emotional pain they need to confront.  Rolls of fat bury the realities of life-literally.  Lipid molecules, after all, can actually exert an antidepressant effect on synaptic transmission in the central nervous system, not unlike Prozac.