[NYNick]

There are a lot of causes. Take a look at the size of those plates you inherited from your parents. A dinner plate used to be 9 inches in diameter. They are now 11" and even 12".

Portions have grown. I owned a franchised restaurant and the portions we were forced to serve people were huge. I would hire Mexicans who began their employment thin and healthy who would wind up fat in a year or two eating the great American fat full, sugar full diet.

Not to mention the government subsidizing corn syrup, which resulted in inexpensive, ready to eat unhealthy foods that lower income people are almost forced to consume through convenience and price. It takes time, effort and money to eat healthy. Given the choice, they choose the easy and cheap way out.

This then teaches their children how to eat improperly. It's a vicious circle.