Anonymous wrote:The metabolic and hormonal environments in their wombs are much healthier, for many of the reasons mentioned already. In the US many of us are on the third generation of dysfunction re: insulin, cortisol, androgens, etc. Epigentic nightmare

This hypothesis seems more plausible

Anonymous wrote:I am in NYC where life is pretty intense and stressful. I was surprised to find out recently how long the life expectancy for Manhattan residents is. I think it’s because 1) walking everywhere 2) access to excellent medical professionals and 3) people are highly educated and make better food and life choices. I very rarely see overweight people on the streets in NYC; when I do, they are usually tourists from elsewhere in the country.
So OP, when you say Europeans eat less vegetables than “us”, you likely mean than the affluent, highly educated households in urban America.

Yes.

I know the median diet in the us is trash.

I’m not talking about the median American tho.

Anonymous wrote:I am Italian. Italians eat a lot more veggies than we do… they eat legumes as well, less butter and less died/processed food.
My brother feeds his 3 year old daughter zucchini and tomatoes purée everyday and it’s cooked with onion and oil… and delicious.

In Italy (like in the rest of the world) it has to do with social class too. While older people all are healthy, younger lower middle class people are often fat and unhealthy.

But sayin that European on average eat less vegetables it’s not true. Also, southern European drink far less alcohol than Americans and Northern European.

Op here - I’m living in Italy. In between Torino and Bergamo.

Italians or Atleast the ones I’m observing in their 20s - 30s are not eating more veggies than the health conscious California/dc umc types in my circle.

Not even close.

I go the frutaria and esselunga very often and the variety of veggies is minuscule compared to the combo Whole Foods + Asian grocers I use in the us.

Anonymous wrote:I have lived in Europe multiple times. I’m always thinner there. I walk a ton more, but I think it’s also something about the food.

I was friends with a bunch of World Bank folks in my twenties. They all felt there was more sugar here and blamed their weight loss on that.

Op here - i find myself eating way more sugar in Europe because I eat out a lot more.

I avoid sugar pretty easily in the us.

For example, yesterday I had sugar in my expresso, I had some pastries for a snack at the cafe, I drink more (alcohol sugar)

I don’t go to the grocery store as much here because I don’t have a car so I eat out at least one meal a day whereas in the us I never if ever eat out os I read labels patiently

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's all the walking. Plus portions are much smaller. Literally impossible to buy too much at the grocery store - very few sweets, etc.

I don’t think they have few sweets - so many bakeries, chocolate stores, and in Italy gelato is everywhere.

Have you ever noticed the differences in gelato portion sizes in the American tourist traps vs non-touristy areas? The difference is shocking.

Anonymous wrote:They eat dramatically less food than we do, have much less chemicals in their food, and walk more. If you spend anytime in both places, the differences are quite obvious. Europeans are shocked when they see our food portions.

Honestly, me too. I don’t understand how one person could finish most restaurant portions in the US.

Anonymous wrote:They're definitely not eating fewer vegetables. Especially if you count beans, legumes, and potatoes as vegetables.

Maybe you're focused on a stereotypical European diet, instead of an actual European diet?

While I agree with this, I also think that because they don’t pathologize eating as much as we do in the US, you don’t see the same fixation in “good foods” like veggies, nor on “bad” foods like fats, carbs, or sugars.

Most Europeans I know eat a decent amount of veggies. They also season them well and are not afraid to just cook them in butter.

And when your food is very filing with fats and proteins and carbs, you can also eat less. It’s a more rational and intuitive way if eating, with less denial of cravings or self-sacrifice. But also far fewer processed foods, less eating out, fresher items, and good balance.

They eat dramatically less food than we do, have much less chemicals in their food, and walk more. If you spend anytime in both places, the differences are quite obvious. Europeans are shocked when they see our food portions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's all the walking. Plus portions are much smaller. Literally impossible to buy too much at the grocery store - very few sweets, etc.

I don’t think they have few sweets - so many bakeries, chocolate stores, and in Italy gelato is everywhere.

But baked goods are also filling— they often have a lot of protein and fat, more than sugar. Americans are scared of carbs but a croissant or even a pain au chocolat will be more satisfying and nourishing than a lot if the sugary treats Americans eat. And less processed as these items tend to be freshly and locally made in Europe, whether you live in a small town or a big city.

A small croissant with jam and a small coffee is not a large or particularly nutritious breakfast, but it’s better and more satisfying than a sugary cereal or a highly processed breakfast bar.

Portion control and lack of processed foods

I am in NYC where life is pretty intense and stressful. I was surprised to find out recently how long the life expectancy for Manhattan residents is. I think it’s because 1) walking everywhere 2) access to excellent medical professionals and 3) people are highly educated and make better food and life choices. I very rarely see overweight people on the streets in NYC; when I do, they are usually tourists from elsewhere in the country.
So OP, when you say Europeans eat less vegetables than “us”, you likely mean than the affluent, highly educated households in urban America.

Clearly it’s a combination of factors

It’s all the socialism. Capitalism is horrible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:…and are all way healthier than my mc/umc peers in the us.

What gives?

Is it literally just working less and walking more — diet, working out, hydration don’t matter?

They eat waaaaaaaaaaaaay less.

It’s not that. I eat way more when visiting family in Europe. But I lose weight.

I am Italian. Italians eat a lot more veggies than we do… they eat legumes as well, less butter and less died/processed food.
My brother feeds his 3 year old daughter zucchini and tomatoes purée everyday and it’s cooked with onion and oil… and delicious.

In Italy (like in the rest of the world) it has to do with social class too. While older people all are healthy, younger lower middle class people are often fat and unhealthy.

But sayin that European on average eat less vegetables it’s not true. Also, southern European drink far less alcohol than Americans and Northern European.