Sass, I'm not as full of energy as you seem to think! I'd love to be bone idle but at the moment I don't have the choice! I also know that I need to improve my exercise: eat ratio so getting into a routine helps with that. It also helps with my depression to keep to a routine and to exercise regularly.
I do feel more people are making bad choices food wise and also are eating emotionally, using food to compensate. Some health authorities here in the U.K. are prescribing exercise and providing free council gym membership for depression.
I agree with all you said Sass, and it grieves me to see a parent allowing a child to become grossly obese, to me it is definitely a form of child abuse, and makes it so hard for a child starting out in life with both their health, their psychology and their learned behaviour.
I did lose weight with Paul McKenna's book 'think yourself thin' which is all about the psychology of eating. It's about eating mindfully, putting your cutlery down as you chew each bite, stopping when you begin to feel full and ensure you are enjoying every mouthful. If you aren't enjoying it, stop eating. He says you can eat what you want when you want if you just eat this way.