Sugary foods can lead people to pack on the pounds. But there's scant science behind claims that sugar directly causes cancer, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

Two top food policy experts square off on the role the food industry should play in the global battle against obesity recently, and the answers are as complex, interconnected and political as ever.

Forget spaghetti and meatballs 鈥� the Italian island of Sicily has much more to offer in the way of savory delights. Influenced by the tastes of its many past conquerors, contemporary Sicilian cuisine features mouth-watering blends of sun-ripened fruits and vegetables 鈥� and cross-cultural flavors.

The number of women who say they're dieting has dropped significantly since the early 1990s, according to a long-running survey of national eating trends. What's more, just 1 in 4 respondents agreed that being thin is a lot more attractive than being heavy.