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I think another problem with Americans and food is that we view food as a reward and not a necessity of life. If we eat very little and don't in the least bit indulge, we're good. If we enjoy what we eat and maybe have dessert, we're "bad". A lot of parents presented food as a reward or punishment and that sets kids up for major eating disorders later on. My parents never bullied me to finish my plate, but they did (with supervision) let me fill my own plate. If I didn't want to eat that was fine. If I wanted to make 4 trips back to the buffet, that was fine. They never forced me to eat anything and I think that's why now I don't have some sort of complex about food or weight. I've been at a fairly healthy weight all my life with little to no dieting.
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