Why Are Americans Fat?

I read this quote in today's NY Times: "If you want to look at why people are fat today, it's pretty hard to identify a contributor more significant than this meteoric rise in cheese consumption." --DR. NEAL D. BARNARD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which challenged a federal agency's claim that eating dairy products can help dieters lose weight.

Okay, so maybe we eat too much cheese. But allow me to propose a few more possibilities.

First, my child has not had to take P.E. since seventh grade. When I as her age, we had P.E. all the way through our senior year, and that soccer semester had us running miles a day.

Second, have you seen the dessert portions at restaurants like Claim Jumpers? Six of us shared a piece of chocolate cake and couldn't finish it.

Third, have you seen the portions of food just about anywhere you eat out?

Watching TV us not the most calorie-burning activity. Now we can sit and watch pro, college, and high school sports 24/7.

Starbucks. Yum.

What do you think? Why are we so overweight?