obesity in america

What do you get when an economist digs into America's food culture? If the economist is Tyler Cowan, you get "An Economist Gets Lunch," in which he offers some surprising culprits for our eating woes, and some clever ways to get the best meals for less.

Vivus shares are soaring this morning, even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected the drugmaker's obesity drug Qnexa yesterday. Investors are hoping that the FDA's rejection, which includes a request for more safety data -- not another clinical trial -- will lead to approval next year.

A recent WalletPop post about PETA's ill-considered decision to buy billboard space to ridicule overweight women has generated a huge amount of discussion among AOL readers on our comments board. Many commenters have equated overeating to moral weakness. As an overly buoyant American, I'm convinced...