&quot;Chinese kids are almost as fat as American kids:&quot;<p>Likely because for centuries Chinese believed that &quot;a fat child is a healthy child&quot;. Some children are almost force-fed from infancy to early teens. Often only then does the _child_ realize there is a problem. Encouragement to eat is ubiquitous in the Chinese culture. A &quot;hearty appetite&quot; is always considered a good thing, regardless of age or obesity.<p>It may require two generations to nullify this Chinese traditional belief.