The Mississippi Senate defeated a bill Tuesday that would've authorized the public employees' health insurance plan to pay for gastric bypass surgery for up to 100 obese state government workers a year.

Americans are facing a surge of obesity. This issue is becoming the top contender leading to death in this country.

But what are Americans doing to keep this condition from claiming them? Schools are starting children with healthier lifestyles by teaching them the benefits of staying healthy and serving nutritious meals, but what about the older generation dealing with obesity now?

As budgets get tighter and you look for more ways to cut your food budget, you can still eat well.

"It doesn't hurt nutrition-wise to switch to canned and frozen vegetable and fruits, if they're not packed in heavy syrup," says Jane Brody, personal health columnist for the New York Times.

According to the American Obesity Association, an estimated 30.3 percent of children 6 - 11 years of age are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. For adolescents 12 - 19 years of age, 30.4 percent are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese. These numbers have tripled since the 1980s.

Obesity has become a leading public health concern at individual, family, and community levels. The Medina County Health Department has taken notice of the obesity crisis and is taking action.

The link between old-age obesity, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of cognitive decline is unlikely to be resolved, separate and somewhat conflicting studies reported today.

New York obesity expert Louis Aronne has helped thousands lose weight over 23 years, and he has found that restoring fullness is often the key to success. Aronne has a new book out this month called The Skinny on Losing Weight Without Being Hungry, written with Alisa Bowman. USA TODAY talks to him about his ideas.

Brain surgery for weight loss?

West Virginia mother of two Carol Poe, 60, is only the second person in the United States to undergo deep brain stimulation for weight loss after trying everything from diets to having her stomach stapled.

The mind-numbing numbers just never seem to get better.

Last year, Mississippi ranked No. 1 overall for the unhealthiest citizens in the U.S. and No. 49 in the number of physicians per capita. A quarter of our 2-year-olds haven’t received their shots, and the rate of babies dying in Mississippi is higher than anywhere else in the country. We’re No. 2 for number of adults with diabetes; a third of adults are obese; a third has high blood pressure; and a third gets no exercise whatsoever.

Losing weight is an uphill battle for most, but with discipline, it’s a fight that can be won — the right way.

We’ve all heard it before, at chance meetings and especially family gatherings.

They ask: “How have you been? You look much ‘healthier’ now. I see you’ve put on a bit since I last saw you??

Yeah, well the last time you saw me was years ago and my metabolic rate has since slowed down.