section 1. Overview -- 1. Obesity : a perfect and costly epidemic -- 2. Obesity battles throughout the ages -- 3. The physiology of fat -- 4. The psychological and social aspects of obesity -- 5. Genetics of obesity -- 6. Obesity and exercise -- 7. Obesity and health problems -- section 2. Controversies and issues -- 8. Issue : is obesity a disease or an adaptation for survival? -- 9. Issue : are we creating generations of couch potatoes? -- 10. Issue : the great diet debate -- 11. Issue : can behavioral strategies result in weight loss? -- 12. Issue : should surgery be used as a weight-control method? -- 13. Issue : what is the government's role in the obesity crisis? -- 14. Can there be a fat-free future? -- section 3. Reference and resources -- A. Annotated primary source documents -- B. Timeline of obesity issues -- C. Glossary -- D. Weight loss programs and plans -- E. Further reading.