Random thoughts.

When I first came to Japan I was shocked at how small the portion sizes were. I remember a conversation I had with a friend who's sister married an American. She visited them and was shocked at how much weight her sister had gained. She was worried about her health and mentioned it. Her sister's reply was her husband and his family didn't care. So she let herself go.
On the same trip, my friend lost weight. The huge portion size made her physically sick - just looking at her plate, piled with food, she lost her appetite.
I sometimes wonder though, Japanese people do eat a lot - they just eat slowly. A meal can take hours. Lots of small dishes shared with the people at the table. I have learned to eat slowly. Not because it is healthy. I don't want to look like a pig, hogging all the food. I have also learned to chew my food more before swallowing. Again, not because it is healthy. I don't want to gross out my eating companions.