Young people in other countries are remarkably thinner than Americans

[Anonymous]

We lived in South East Asia for a few years. Most homes in the country where we lived didn't have ovens (unless it was an expat area), and we ate a lot less baked goods and a lot more fresh fruit which was amazing there. We're back in the USA now, and it's funny to see my kids say things are "too sweet" because they're not so used to the sugary processed food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Can we take the good things from other food cultures instead of tarring it with the same brush? It's not black and white. For example, I agree that ghee is unhealthy but you can use avocado oil to temper your spices and fry up onions for Indian dishes. I like how learning to cook Indian dishes has introduced me to different spices and ways of using them. I guess the big difference is that I cook at home instead of relying on takeout and restaurants like many others. It's about being able to control what I consume and feeling great that I am able to cook for myself.

You’re missing the point. PP was responding to someone raving about Asian food culture and how healthy and thin they are compared to overeating snacky processed food Americans and pointed out that not all Asians have a way of eating that gives them health and longevity. The point was not Indian food is unhealthy and bad.

Are you so obtuse to think of Asia as a monolithic eating culture? That just because Indian ghee is unhealthy, you wouldn't "look to Asia for inspiration"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

However, at 46 with a BMI of 18.8, I don’t know if I’d be bragging you are the picture of good health. 18.5 is clinically underweight. No one is THAT close to being clinically underweight in their 40s unless they are ill or purposely eating (or not eating) to be extra thin

DP (bmi 18.72), you're wrong. A low bmi most often is the result of consistent, reasonable, healthy food intake, through out the years (decades rather). It's cumulative, just as much as gaining 200 lbs is cumulative, it didn't just happen overnight.
I've had people telling me to "eat a burger" my whole life and never once I've heard any doctor telling me to gain weight or change my diet.
Normal BMI that's low is still normal, that's what medicine says. Believe it.

So you don’t restrict to be that weight?

I'm the 125 lbs 5'7 ft PP. Of course I restrict what I eat, both in terms of quantify and quality. It's what a rational human being does. I'm not coming home to attack the fridge and eat a gallon of ice cream until I puke and I also don't climb on top of all the attractive men I see in the metro. It's called having control over my behavior. Do you really expect to eat junk and/or large quantities of food and stay thin? No wonder America has a huge obesity problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Can we take the good things from other food cultures instead of tarring it with the same brush? It's not black and white. For example, I agree that ghee is unhealthy but you can use avocado oil to temper your spices and fry up onions for Indian dishes. I like how learning to cook Indian dishes has introduced me to different spices and ways of using them. I guess the big difference is that I cook at home instead of relying on takeout and restaurants like many others. It's about being able to control what I consume and feeling great that I am able to cook for myself.

You’re missing the point. PP was responding to someone raving about Asian food culture and how healthy and thin they are compared to overeating snacky processed food Americans and pointed out that not all Asians have a way of eating that gives them health and longevity. The point was not Indian food is unhealthy and bad.

Are you so obtuse to think of Asia as a monolithic eating culture? That just because Indian ghee is unhealthy, you wouldn't "look to Asia for inspiration"?

NP here - I don't think the ghee is unhealthy. The refined oils and sugars are the worst. This is how Americans got fat - they obsessed with fats and replaced them with sugar. My parents grew up on unrefined lard and they are in their middle 80s and meds free. Normal weight too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

Can we take the good things from other food cultures instead of tarring it with the same brush? It's not black and white. For example, I agree that ghee is unhealthy but you can use avocado oil to temper your spices and fry up onions for Indian dishes. I like how learning to cook Indian dishes has introduced me to different spices and ways of using them. I guess the big difference is that I cook at home instead of relying on takeout and restaurants like many others. It's about being able to control what I consume and feeling great that I am able to cook for myself.

You’re missing the point. PP was responding to someone raving about Asian food culture and how healthy and thin they are compared to overeating snacky processed food Americans and pointed out that not all Asians have a way of eating that gives them health and longevity. The point was not Indian food is unhealthy and bad.

Are you so obtuse to think of Asia as a monolithic eating culture? That just because Indian ghee is unhealthy, you wouldn't "look to Asia for inspiration"?

You are clearly the obtuse one.

The whole point of the first poster was to say that Asians 'eat better'. Lots of people are pointing out that it is simply not true.

Not to mention the rate of smoking in Asian countries. Sure, people may be thinner, but replacing food with cigarettes isn't always the best idea either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

You sound ignorant OP (and the Indian PP as well). India has a billion people, even though your family may be unhealthy, longevity there is increasing. Many Indians eat 10x the amount of vegetables than Americans would eat on an annual basis, and particularly in the South of India, foods are more often vegetarian and prepared with a onion/garlic/ginger base that's healthier than much of what is available in American common cooking. And per capita alcohol consumption in India is 1/3 that of the United States-I'm surprised you would even write that-some people do drink beer, but it's for the most part not a boozy social culture as in the United States, especially for women.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/alcohol-consumption-by-country

I'm not saying that India's food culture is on par with the Mediterranean diet, but with the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables and greater emphasis on cooking from scratch, it's definitely not worse than the USA.

Not a chance. Beer is definitely popular, but hard liquor, like whiskey is also common. Some people just do it in secret or are dishonest about if, since it's looked down upon. India absolutely has a 'boozy social culture'. It's just not as acknowledged.

And, when the vegetables are paired with butter/ghee and cooked to beyond oblivion, they're no better than most other foods. Better off eating an American salad. Pair the overcooked veggies with rice and roti, with just dal for protein, and it's a recipe for diabetes.

[Anonymous]

I migrated here in US from Southeast Asia 3 decades ago. The first thing obvious thing I immediately notice is the serving portion of foods in restaurants and fast food. I had to split my food all the time with my husband because it was too much for me. I also realized that I’m more sedentary here living in northeastern part of US. I didn’t do as much walking because I drove all the time whereas in Asia we took public transportation a lot and walked a ton. Even though we eat rice a lot being the main staple food, we also are more active spending more time outdoors. In the cold months here, I pretty much get cabin fever, so I resort to exercising indoors but nothing beats outdoor activities for me.

In other words, the sedentary lifestyle and bigger food serving portions here may be playing a big role in obesity which is now in the top 5 health crisis in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I migrated here in US from Southeast Asia 3 decades ago. The first thing obvious thing I immediately notice is the serving portion of foods in restaurants and fast food. I had to split my food all the time with my husband because it was too much for me. I also realized that I’m more sedentary here living in northeastern part of US. I didn’t do as much walking because I drove all the time whereas in Asia we took public transportation a lot and walked a ton. Even though we eat rice a lot being the main staple food, we also are more active spending more time outdoors. In the cold months here, I pretty much get cabin fever, so I resort to exercising indoors but nothing beats outdoor activities for me.

In other words, the sedentary lifestyle and bigger food serving portions here may be playing a big role in obesity which is now in the top 5 health crisis in this country.

I migrated from Southeast Asia too and another observation I can compare is that microwave is not a common household appliance there even for the middle class. We prefer to cook fresh. In fact, it took me a while to get used to eating microwaveable foods. The taste is different. We prefer to eat more veggies in our country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't shame fat people anymore, its the fat acceptance movement. Sad.

Why would be shame anyone? Why do you care what other people weigh? That’s what I don’t get about this thread. This obsession with how much other people weigh. Are you mad because you’re thin and you think you should win some prize for it? Our society is accepting a wider range of weight. That is a good thing.

We are all paying the price for Americans getting fatter every year. How do you think insurance pools are priced? I am not interested in paying for avoidable health consequences of others. And all of those Covid deaths - they were of 65 plus folks and fat folks. Now - you won’t hear this on the news of course, we don’t want fat folks to feel bad. The new norm is fat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't shame fat people anymore, its the fat acceptance movement. Sad.

Why would be shame anyone? Why do you care what other people weigh? That’s what I don’t get about this thread. This obsession with how much other people weigh. Are you mad because you’re thin and you think you should win some prize for it? Our society is accepting a wider range of weight. That is a good thing.

We are all paying the price for Americans getting fatter every year. How do you think insurance pools are priced? I am not interested in paying for avoidable health consequences of others. And all of those Covid deaths - they were of 65 plus folks and fat folks. Now - you won’t hear this on the news of course, we don’t want fat folks to feel bad. The new norm is fat.

Shaming this generation of fat people is not going to solve the problem. It’s a systemic issue and needs a systemic issue. We have to stop future people from getting fat in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We don't shame fat people anymore, its the fat acceptance movement. Sad.

Why would be shame anyone? Why do you care what other people weigh? That’s what I don’t get about this thread. This obsession with how much other people weigh. Are you mad because you’re thin and you think you should win some prize for it? Our society is accepting a wider range of weight. That is a good thing.

We are all paying the price for Americans getting fatter every year. How do you think insurance pools are priced? I am not interested in paying for avoidable health consequences of others. And all of those Covid deaths - they were of 65 plus folks and fat folks. Now - you won’t hear this on the news of course, we don’t want fat folks to feel bad. The new norm is fat.

Shaming this generation of fat people is not going to solve the problem. It’s a systemic issue and needs a systemic issue. We have to stop future people from getting fat in the first place.

Needs a systemic solution I mean

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I migrated here in US from Southeast Asia 3 decades ago. The first thing obvious thing I immediately notice is the serving portion of foods in restaurants and fast food. I had to split my food all the time with my husband because it was too much for me. I also realized that I’m more sedentary here living in northeastern part of US. I didn’t do as much walking because I drove all the time whereas in Asia we took public transportation a lot and walked a ton. Even though we eat rice a lot being the main staple food, we also are more active spending more time outdoors. In the cold months here, I pretty much get cabin fever, so I resort to exercising indoors but nothing beats outdoor activities for me.

In other words, the sedentary lifestyle and bigger food serving portions here may be playing a big role in obesity which is now in the top 5 health crisis in this country.

Do you live in DC or in a suburb?

This has less to do with living in Asia versus the US than it does with your choice of lifestyle here in the US.

People who live in NYC or in DC take public transport or walk way more than people who live in Loudon County. Even in the winter.

You can always choose to live in a more urban area where public transport is more ubiquitous.

I do agree about the serving portions being larger in the US though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in Asia and can tell you that American supermarkets are a heavenly cornucopia of a snackhole.
Asian markets don't sell nearly 1/4th the ready eat stuff that American markets have. Most things in Asian markets are meant to be cooked or prepared somehow. Not just rip open a bag and heat it in a microwave. There's a lot of veggies, fruits, tofu, raw meat (sometimes cured but definitely few ready to eat).
So there's that immediate gratification thing that America has with food reflected its its plethora of readymade meals.
Asians tend to have a hangup with freshness of foods - freshly steamed, cooked, chopped, nothing a day or two old. Packaged foods are considered, how do I put it, food not made with love. Sad food.
This food culture has its drawbacks - a lot of time is spent in kitchen prep.

Asia also has a lot of very active night markets for those who don't want to cook. That's the closest to ready eat foods. Night markets are usually a social activity - walk, eat, talk, eat, shop, eat with friends or family. And the food is cooked right there before you so its fresh.

LOL

Really? I am Indian and have family in India. Indians have a ridiculously high rate of diabetes and heart disease. Sure, they cook a lot (or have low-paid employees who cook for them, actually) but the amount of sugar and butter used in the cooking is unbelievable.

You’re right, that someone does come door to door with fresh vegetables daily. However, the vegetables are a supplemented with lots of rice and roti and sugary chai. Heck, growing up, the parents used to feed us ‘glucose biscuits’ as healthy.

I wouldn’t make any generalizations about how people in one country eat versus how people eat in the US.

All the coconut milk and products clog arteries

Absolutely! And the ghee. Tasty but it’ll kill you eventually. Every older male in my Indian family has had heart disease and several died before the age of 65. Not to mention the alcohol consumption (not by all Indians - some strict ones don’t drink). And the tobacco products that will rot your teeth and give you oral cancer?

Nah, I wouldn’t look to Asia for inspiration.

You sound ignorant OP (and the Indian PP as well). India has a billion people, even though your family may be unhealthy, longevity there is increasing. Many Indians eat 10x the amount of vegetables than Americans would eat on an annual basis, and particularly in the South of India, foods are more often vegetarian and prepared with a onion/garlic/ginger base that's healthier than much of what is available in American common cooking. And per capita alcohol consumption in India is 1/3 that of the United States-I'm surprised you would even write that-some people do drink beer, but it's for the most part not a boozy social culture as in the United States, especially for women.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/alcohol-consumption-by-country

I'm not saying that India's food culture is on par with the Mediterranean diet, but with the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables and greater emphasis on cooking from scratch, it's definitely not worse than the USA.

Not a chance. Beer is definitely popular, but hard liquor, like whiskey is also common. Some people just do it in secret or are dishonest about if, since it's looked down upon. India absolutely has a 'boozy social culture'. It's just not as acknowledged.

And, when the vegetables are paired with butter/ghee and cooked to beyond oblivion, they're no better than most other foods. Better off eating an American salad. Pair the overcooked veggies with rice and roti, with just dal for protein, and it's a recipe for diabetes.

No, whiskey is not "common" in a population where wages of a few dollars a day are still common, and a "boozy social culture" is not common either. Alcohol sales are prohibited in 3 states of India (and were prohibited in a number of others until recently). Alcohol is expensive, especially whiskey, and you are attributing the behavior of wealthy Indians and expats to the general population. And I'm not sure where you've been eaten, but the Indians I know don't cook their vegetables "beyond oblivion."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I migrated here in US from Southeast Asia 3 decades ago. The first thing obvious thing I immediately notice is the serving portion of foods in restaurants and fast food. I had to split my food all the time with my husband because it was too much for me. I also realized that I’m more sedentary here living in northeastern part of US. I didn’t do as much walking because I drove all the time whereas in Asia we took public transportation a lot and walked a ton. Even though we eat rice a lot being the main staple food, we also are more active spending more time outdoors. In the cold months here, I pretty much get cabin fever, so I resort to exercising indoors but nothing beats outdoor activities for me.

In other words, the sedentary lifestyle and bigger food serving portions here may be playing a big role in obesity which is now in the top 5 health crisis in this country.

Do you live in DC or in a suburb?

This has less to do with living in Asia versus the US than it does with your choice of lifestyle here in the US.

People who live in NYC or in DC take public transport or walk way more than people who live in Loudon County. Even in the winter.

You can always choose to live in a more urban area where public transport is more ubiquitous.

I do agree about the serving portions being larger in the US though.

Yes, portions in the USA are huge. We got used to ordering an appetizer and a main when we lived in Asia, and when we come back to the USA some of the appetizer portions are as large as the entree portions we get in Asia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I also lived in Eastern Europe for several years and this is spot on. (It’s been awhile so things may have changed.) But in my experience…Most young women did not have a healthy relationship with food. They smoked a lot to curb their appetite. They starved most of the time. They didn’t do anything athletic or exercise; there was a ton of fat shaming. The trend was to be very thin— not healthy.

Not my experience at all. Curvier women were always more popular. Being skinny was considered not only unattractive, but sickly as well. For this very reason, no one really refrained form eating, quite the opposite.
People are generally slimmer than Americas and generally there was never more than 1-2 overweight people in my wider circle.

Both of you need to mention countries. "Eastern Europe" is where or what, exactly? Finland? Austria? Both in the east. Russia? Slovakia? Different cultures everywhere.

First off, you need to open the map and see where Finland is.
"Eastern Europe" is an umbrella term for the former political Eastern Block. It's not overly precise geographically nor politically, but most people have an idea of its coordinates.