I just finished reading a news article about obesity in America. I wasn’t surprised to find that a very large number of people, roughly 78 million, are carrying around excess body fat with them. To give the problem some perspective, approximately 65 million people live in France. Yes, the entire country of France.
In my humble opinion, one of the reasons many Americans have weight issues is simply the large portion sizes served when eating out. This is true for all restaurants ranging from fast food to steakhouses. When I was in Italy and France, I noticed that even McDonald’s sizes are different. Small beverages in the United States are the same size as the mediums in Europe. When you go to a fancy restaurant, the same is true. In the United States, it is standard fare to serve such large portions that leftovers or doggy bags are the norm. In Europe, just-right portions are served and no food is taken home or wasted.
Although there may be other reasons Americans are obese, such as consumption of processed foods, fatty foods, etc., I strongly believe that portion size pays a huge factor in the cause.
