from the discovering-the-obvious department. scientist confirm what is obvious to anyone who’s been out to eat in the last decade – americans are fatter that their french counterparts because their portions are obnoxious:

“The answer, after methodical study of brasseries, eateries, pizza parlours, Chinese restaurants and Hard Rock cafes in both countries, is simple: the French eat less of everything. And they eat less because they are served smaller portions.”

i’m shocked, shocked. did you know that 20 years ago the average bagel was 3 inches in diameter and now it’s around 6. the average french fry serving has gone from 2 ounces to 5. of course, soft drink manufacturers are the big winners, with the “typical” soda [ giving away my east coast heritage ] serving ballooning from 6 ounces to 20 ounces.

olivier hits things squarely on the head – it’s all about elastic demand and “share of stomach”.