At least that used to be true. In my first trip to Russia everyone one was thin. At least I felt a little self-conscious since I was over the borderline between overweight and obese. Now, overweight but not close to obese, I fit right in.

Sure, on that first trip there was the occasional beer belly and chunky babushka, but now it is common. It is only natural that we gain weight as we get older. For some reason the human metabolism changes as we age. If we eat the same foods we did when we were younger, we gain 5 to ten pounds a decade. Russia is getting older at an alarming rate, but what I am noticing is more than that.

It is not the restaurants. You can still get great meals for about the same price as the US, but these are gourmet meals. You might have to wait longer, as everything is made fresh. But I did notice that the desert sections of the menu are much larger now, and I see a lot of ice cream eating going on.

I am not sure why everyone here in Russia is heavier than in years past, but I do have a guess. Wherever the western diet spreads, people get sick and fat. I hope these observations will encourage me to continue eating well.