You've hit the nail squarely on the head Fairchild. I've been thinking along the same line of thought for a while now. I think the most telling proof that gigantic portion size and processed are at the heart of the obesity epidemic is when you compare the US, where this trend is strongest to other countries. Carbs are hardly a new thing. People have been consuming carbs for a long time, so what has brought about this drastic change. Portion sizes along with a huge increase in the amount of processed food people eat. So yes carbs are a factor because processed food usually equals carbs. I still believe in Atkins because I think it's the best way to reverse the damage this carb overload has caused. However, if this trend had never occured...the dramatic increase in portion sizes, coupled with a over-reliance on processed food, the poisonous low-fat/high-carb message and the decline of the home-cooked meal ..... there never would have been an obesity epidemic.