Hot Docs: Paying for College, More Measles, Fat America, and More

How America Pays for College: A new report from Sallie Mae and Gallup delves into how American families manage the cost of college tuition. The study reveals that the "average family" covers 39 percent of its college costs by borrowing, whether by the student or parents. Many respondents are concerned that tuition and interest rates will continue to increase, but a vast majority of students and parents still feel that attending college is "an investment in their future."

CDC: Most U. S. Measles Cases Reported Ssince 1996: There have been an unusually high number of measles cases this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Since January 1, 131 diagnoses have been reported, the most during the first part of any year since 1996. The CDC notes that many of those affected had not been vaccinated against measles because of "philosophical or religious beliefs."

F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Aare Failing in America, 2008: About two thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese, and those numbers continue to rise, according to a new study from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report shows an increase in obesity rates in 37 states and finds a strong correlation between obesity, poverty, and diabetes.

FDIC Consumer News: How to "Get a Good Night's Sleep" with FDIC Insurance: The FDIC's quarterly consumer newsletter is now available online, and the cover story answers some common questions about how deposit insurance works and what happens to depositors' money in the event of a bank failure. Chairman Sheila Bair stresses that, in the body's 75-year history, "no depositor has ever lost a penny of insured funds at an FDIC-insured institution." Elsewhere in the issue, consumers can learn tips on how to access home-equity credit lines even as home values fall.