The Rising Cost of Obesity

This Chicago Tribune article entitled "As America's Waistline Expands, Costs Soar" reveals that the costs of obesity to the U.S. are more than just health-related. Cars carrying heavier passengers burn more fuel, buses need more time to stop, and public toilets must be re-worked. What are some of the ways that the U.S. can work to combat the public health crisis that obesity has become in the U.S.? Are there ways to focus on overall health, rather than just BMI?