There are those who think "eating rice will make me gain weight."  However, this is not true.  Rice is healthy and nutritionally well balanced. 

Westerners tend to eat small servings of bread.  Their large waistlines come from eating a lot of snacks.  Obesity is a leading cause of heart disease.

On the other hand, because Japanese eat a modest amount of rice and a variety of side dishes, they achieve a healthy balance between starch, protein and fat.  So, the rice-centered Japanese diet is very wholesome.  Thanks to this diet, the average Japanese life expectancy is long.