Anonymous wrote:Americans are gluttonous.

I stopped in Starbucks yesterday. Every person in line was a overweight getting a super large shake looking drink with syrup all over it and whipped cream. And one for their kids top. NO ONE ordered a regular coffee.

Getting ice cream, I overhear people complain if they don't think they were given enough. They need a waffle cone filled to the brim.

Same thing all over. Portions are ridiculous but people except them and "want their money's worth" and will complain otherwise.

And people like the fast convenience foods- in large quantities.

Anonymous wrote:Fat acceptance movement

Anonymous wrote:This isn't necessarily a comment on obesity, so much as an observation of different body types among young and young-ish (let's say, people under 30 or women under 35 who haven't given birth) people in the USA versus Europe....
Also worth mentioning is how there was not a single overweight child... I found it so remarkable how active European children are, like it was the good-old days or something before screen time. During school recess, for example, everyone was playing an active game of soccer. Children actively PLAYED whenever there was time outdoors, supervised or not. They were not just standing with snacks and talking or looking at their phones and tablets.

Interesting. The European governments disagree with you.

1. 40% of the 10-11 year old children in England are obese or overweight (25% obese, 15% overweight). -- https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03336/SN03336.pdf
2. 35% of children in Spain are obese or overweight (15% obese, 20% overweight). -- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21074906/
3. 32% of children in Italy are obese or overweight (10% obese, 22% overweight). --https://www.alliedacademies.org/articles/whats-going-on-pediatric-obesity-report-from-italy-10571.html

That's ranging from 1/3 to nearly 1/2 of the children. Do you just not see them, like they are invisible, or ...?

Anonymous wrote:There are much stricter food ingredient regulations in Europe, to the point that "American" brands don't even have the same ingredients there.

Higher quality food, plus socialized medicine, plus mass transportation and walking all led to less obesity.

Anonymous wrote:I personally think the whole food chain in America is seriously broken. All of it, from the types of food we grow and how we grow it (e.g. corn-fed cows) to how it's manufactured (so much sugar, corn syrup) to how we market and sell/deliver it. I married a European and was really startled when we started visiting his family regularly and I got really see firsthand how families eat and WHAT they eat. There's so much more healthy food readily available to eat on the go (e.g. cheese sandwich on good dark bread instead of a cheeseburger at the airport or train station or park). Most European countries also have a significantly better work-life balance which provides more time and mental energy to cook at home.

It's systemic, at all levels, and yet we spend so much time in this country excoriating each other for not making "the right personal choices." Which of course plays right into the hands of the giant agribusinesses and food corporations as it prevents us not only from regulating food more rigorously here. (So, politics as usual, I suppose.)

I don't think this is the same at all as being predestined to be bigger, except in the sense that our food culture is "pre-destining" us I guess.

Anonymous wrote:This isn't necessarily a comment on obesity, so much as an observation of different body types among young and young-ish (let's say, people under 30 or women under 35 who haven't given birth) people in the USA versus Europe.

I am a normal weight, athletic American. Most people around here would describe me as on the thin side of normal, but with a booty. I usually wear a size 4.

I spent three years living in various countries abroad, and at the time (I was in my early 20s) I had to fight off some nagging body image issues due to how thin everyone was. Again, it's not the lack of obesity - there were plenty of overweight and obese people, especially older women and middle-aged men. Most young women were probably 50kg or less. They didn't work out like crazy like I do, they just ate less. Portions are smaller and having three square meals + snacks just isn't really a thing. This isn't to say they didn't indulge on occasions, especially parties and holidays, but if we were just having lunch during a normal day, usually a coffee and a piece of fruit would be enough. It wasn't even like there was a diet culture, other women just said they weren't hungry and were just used to eating less. They certainly walk more than most Americans, but weren't gym crazy or into running like me.

I tried to reassure myself that my body was probably healthier, being more active and athletic and getting sick less (a lot of these women would often fall ill with colds and need to stay home for several days), but it was hard not to envy how elegant and feminine their thin bodies were and I felt chunky and androgynous by comparison.

I wonder how much Americans are just predestined to be bigger - even those that eat healthy and exercise. Like if all the chemicals and toxins in our food have genetically altered Americans in some way.

Also worth mentioning is how there was not a single overweight child... I found it so remarkable how active European children are, like it was the good-old days or something before screen time. During school recess, for example, everyone was playing an active game of soccer. Children actively PLAYED whenever there was time outdoors, supervised or not. They were not just standing with snacks and talking or looking at their phones and tablets.

Anonymous wrote:This isn't necessarily a comment on obesity, so much as an observation of different body types among young and young-ish (let's say, people under 30 or women under 35 who haven't given birth) people in the USA versus Europe.

I am a normal weight, athletic American. Most people around here would describe me as on the thin side of normal, but with a booty. I usually wear a size 4.

I spent three years living in various countries abroad, and at the time (I was in my early 20s) I had to fight off some nagging body image issues due to how thin everyone was. Again, it's not the lack of obesity - there were plenty of overweight and obese people, especially older women and middle-aged men. Most young women were probably 50kg or less. They didn't work out like crazy like I do, they just ate less. Portions are smaller and having three square meals + snacks just isn't really a thing. This isn't to say they didn't indulge on occasions, especially parties and holidays, but if we were just having lunch during a normal day, usually a coffee and a piece of fruit would be enough. It wasn't even like there was a diet culture, other women just said they weren't hungry and were just used to eating less. They certainly walk more than most Americans, but weren't gym crazy or into running like me.

I tried to reassure myself that my body was probably healthier, being more active and athletic and getting sick less (a lot of these women would often fall ill with colds and need to stay home for several days), but it was hard not to envy how elegant and feminine their thin bodies were and I felt chunky and androgynous by comparison.

I wonder how much Americans are just predestined to be bigger - even those that eat healthy and exercise. Like if all the chemicals and toxins in our food have genetically altered Americans in some way.

Also worth mentioning is how there was not a single overweight child... I found it so remarkable how active European children are, like it was the good-old days or something before screen time. During school recess, for example, everyone was playing an active game of soccer. Children actively PLAYED whenever there was time outdoors, supervised or not. They were not just standing with snacks and talking or looking at their phones and tablets.