I find this question interesting and kind of hard for me to wrap my brain around, simply because I am very aware of the stigma that comes with being an American of ANY size in a foreign country, let alone a fat American.
People will think what they will about YOU as an American and ALL Americans, as a collective stereotype. But the fact is: fat people exist everywhere and all bodies deserve respect.
As for how to handle what you’re hearing, I can imagine it must be very hard to brush these kinds of comments off. I am sure they do not mean to insult and have probably just been conditioned to think and speak in these ways as second nature, I really don’t know.
Does anyone have anything to contribute to this? I feel brain dead and wishing I was more knowledgeable about these things.