Europe vs US

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nomorepuke
nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
in Chit-Chat
I was fortunate to travel around East&Western Europe few years back. I was envious with the fact that 90% people I saw in Europe were so fit!!! Only few people that were a bit overweight were in their 60s, 70s (assuming) I was in Europe for only 7weeks, I'm sure there're people in Europe who struggle with their weight as much as we do in the US. But I could see the huge difference
What's the secret? Why so different?
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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Depends on where you go. I'm sure people in NYC are slimmer too, because they walk much more than the average suburban American, for example.

    And smaller portion sizes in restaurants (couple examples - sandwiches never came with fries when I grew up in France, and a scoop of ice cream here is 3 times as big as a scoop over there).
  • synchkat
    synchkat Posts: 37,369 Member
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    I was going to say people tend to walk more I think. Look at big cities many are probably in better shape because they walk instead of drive everywhere
  • km8907
    km8907 Posts: 3,861 Member
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    Portion sizes, stress, convenience, a lot of factors.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    synchkat wrote: »
    I was going to say people tend to walk more I think. Look at big cities many are probably in better shape because they walk instead of drive everywhere

    This^^^^^ more or less, plus portion sizes are smaller. At least, here in Italy, there is a strong food culture. Quality is stressed over quantity. Also, alot of people go to the beach in the summer and tend to get in shape for that.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    Canada is the most fit I would say... all they do is SHOVEL SNOW!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    You will notice a similar trend in large U.S. cities that aren't urban sprawl as well...because more people walk everywhere.

    Also, there tends to be more of a traditional food culture in much of Europe vs. the U.S.
  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    synchkat wrote: »
    I was going to say people tend to walk more I think. Look at big cities many are probably in better shape because they walk instead of drive everywhere

    This^^^^^ more or less, plus portion sizes are smaller. At least, here in Italy, there is a strong food culture. Quality is stressed over quantity. Also, alot of people go to the beach in the summer and tend to get in shape for that.

    The quality of the food was amazing! Our friend guided us the whole trip. We visited the tiny village in Hungary where he grew up. His grandma had a little farm. He was proud to say that they never have to buy anything from the grocery stores. A very simple life they live, but very happy and healthy
  • solieco1
    solieco1 Posts: 1,559 Member
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    Real food, lots of walking, long, slow enjoyment of meals.
  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
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    Cutaway_Collar wrote: »
    Been to Europe many times. Never impressed. Lot of castles, yeah, but you won't imagine the amount of things you can find in a 10 mile radius of Raleigh, NC but not in Naples, Italy. The US economy is built like that.

    As for the people, they do have obesity, just not in the cities where you visit.

    Oh I'm sure they do have obesity but not like here in the US.
    Speaking of "lots of castles" , I was personally very impressed with them actually, knowing the fact that they were built in the 1300s, 1400s.., where the high tech was yet to be developed and the world history revolves around them. So yes, I was very impressed.
  • Gimsteinn
    Gimsteinn Posts: 7,678 Member
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    We walk a lot... we don't share your fast food culture (although that is changing) and there's mostly free health care, alas our governments benefit from taking action against obesity... Oh and thanks to Romania we've now got Lipo sucking vampires... Thanks Fatcula :D
  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
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    Gimsteinn wrote: »
    We walk a lot... we don't share your fast food culture (although that is changing) and there's mostly free health care, alas our governments benefit from taking action against obesity... Oh and thanks to Romania we've now got Lipo sucking vampires... Thanks Fatcula :D

    Lol why is Romania responsible for liposuction?
  • Gimsteinn
    Gimsteinn Posts: 7,678 Member
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    nomorepuke wrote: »
    Gimsteinn wrote: »
    We walk a lot... we don't share your fast food culture (although that is changing) and there's mostly free health care, alas our governments benefit from taking action against obesity... Oh and thanks to Romania we've now got Lipo sucking vampires... Thanks Fatcula :D

    Lol why is Romania responsible for liposuction?

    Dracula...
  • Nitroalley2
    Nitroalley2 Posts: 3,419 Member
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    My ancestors are from there! :D
  • davedoubleu
    davedoubleu Posts: 831 Member
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    There's lots of obesity in the UK. It will get worse due to kids staying in their bedrooms and playing on their consoles and not excercising. Type 2 diabetes is going to be the biggest drain on our Health service in the coming years. Kids don't drink water it's all fizzy drinks and they never wean themselves off it. Fast foods are the norm for a lot too. Take a walk down any high street and it's mainly food stores or fast food chains. We'll soon catch up to the US
  • Gimsteinn
    Gimsteinn Posts: 7,678 Member
    edited February 2017
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    davedoubleu wrote: »
    There's lots of obesity in the UK. It will get worse due to kids staying in their bedrooms and playing on their consoles and not excercising. Type 2 diabetes is going to be the biggest drain on our Health service in the coming years. Kids don't drink water it's all fizzy drinks and they never wean themselves off it. Fast foods are the norm for a lot too. Take a walk down any high street and it's mainly food stores or fast food chains. We'll soon catch up to the US

    I actually find this description more correct about a lot of countries in Europe. Britain is by far the worst though but Germany, Spain and Greece are right up next to it. Scandinavia is still on the fitter side and so are the eastern nations but it won't be long until we'll follow in your food prints. I believe French will be the last one to have a huge obesity problem. But we're just as bad as the USA. But you won't see our obese people working as tour guides or in the tourist places as those jobs and those places seem to attract more fit people. A fat person isn't gonna go hike that hill to look at a castle when they can sit at home and eat.
  • finny11122
    finny11122 Posts: 8,436 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Well it is a sterotype that all Amercians are fat b@stards
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,592 Member
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    The food is different , portion sizes as well

    Even Canadian portion sizes are smaller than USA
  • coralietg
    coralietg Posts: 12 Member
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    I lived in the UK until I was 19. I weighed a lot less with little effort when I lived there. I live in the US now. Portions are very distorted here, and it is difficult to walk anywhere. I don't think there is a pavement within 20 miles of me. Lack of physical activity was definitely a big part in the weight I gained here.
  • AmeliaElena
    AmeliaElena Posts: 4 Member
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    The food is different. So many carbs on store shelves in the US. Never seen as much space for candy anywhere else but the US. I'll be in the US six months, will try to remind myself to go into the stores as little as possible.

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