The past couple of weeks have provided fecund fodder for the food news enthusiast.

Any fan of the CDC’s year-by-year ever-increasing obesity map will be intrigued that the 2011 data was released recently, alongside other obesity news. The news also turned up studies of disgust, which you can explore firsthand in articles on cooking up rat and squirrel. And finally, the struggling economy continues to affect life in the U.S. and abroad, especially dining trends.

So, dig in to this edition of Food News Round Up…

Food and Obesity

Obesity remains a key issue both culturally and politically, especially with the release of the CDC’s most recent obesity statistical analysis.

• New 2011 obesity statistics analysis finds 12 states exceeding 30% obesity
• Pondering Mississippi obesity: Southern diet or culture on the skids?
• Study links healthier weight in children with strict laws on school snacks

Food and Disgust

Disgust is an always interesting element of eating. Would you consider rat or squirrel?

• How and why to eat rat meat
• ‘Chicken of the trees:’ A history of eating squirrel

Food and the Economy

As the ‘Great Recession’ continues to be felt by citizens across the globe, the restaurant industry also tightens its belt.

• Dining survey shows New Zealand residents dine out despite economic struggles, but less
• Chefs in Spain must adapt to economic crisis or fail
• In struggling economy, shopping malls consider sit-down restaurants
• Even for gastrocrats, luxury foods aren’t worth it

Delightful Leftovers

These tidbits of food news defy categorization this week, but should still satisfy.

• Studying India’s changing food culture
• Artist/chef, Julia Ziegler-Haynes, captures death row inmates’ last meals
• Chef argues story-telling is key to making good food television
• Food waste prompts the most green guilt, survey finds

This post was originally published as part of a recurring feature called ‘Food News Round Up’ on the Gastronomy at BU blog.