Are we fat because we're lazy or is it our genes? It's an age-old debate that has sparked a lot of controversy and hurt feelings.

Dr. Rudy Leibel, a molecular geneticist at Columbia University Medical Center, recently became the latest scientist to dip his toe into the debate in an interview with Katie Couric for CBS News.

"It's like your eye color, or your height or your blood pressure," said Leibel. "These are all instances of very strong genetic predispositions."

Leibel has been studying the science of weight for 30 years. He says larger people have actually been blessed with the heartiest of genes that have helped the human race survive. But in today's society, where food is everywhere, those genes are more of a curse.

"There are a set of genes that we have acquired as a result of evolution over the past several millions of years that are designed to save energy; to make us efficient; to favor the ingestion of food," Leibel said.

Leibel believes within the next 10 years, there will be medications that will help reduce our collective girths, much like statins have reduced cholesterol.

Read the complete article and see what you think.

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com