So why *are* Europeans more svelte than Americans?
Category Everything Else
In response to my recent post about Americans being fat, I got the following email from a long-time reader...
"I was just wondering, after reading your stream of conscience post, why do you think that Europeans are more svelte that we are? Less 'fast food?' More exercise? Or are those over generalizations?
Curious In Cleveland"
Dear Curious...
Any answer I could come up with to defend my assertions would be just that... over-generalizations. Even the statement that Americans are fatter than Europeans is a generalization.
True, but a generalization... :)
I suspect it's due to a number of reasons. Our society is one of convenience, of abundance. We want to be comfortable and entertained, whether that be with TV, movies, or food. Why walk a half mile to the store if I can drive there? Why deny myself the joys of ice cream when the freezer shelf at the supermarket has 100 varieties? We have no responsibilities, just "rights". And it's my "right" to have whatever I want, whenever I want it, and I don't want to have to deal with any potential consequences to getting my way. And if something bad happens in that pursuit, I'll just sue...
Keep in mind, that this comes from someone who is quite comfortable, who is about to go drive to the store (a half-mile away), and who still is 40 pounds over a weight I'd like to be at (which is still 30 pounds over what charts would consider "normal").
My over-generalization is that Americans have lost their drive to excel and to lead. We've grown complacent and sluggish, and it's happened over a long period of time... Like the frog who boils to death because they adjust to the slowly rising heat, we've become blind to the predicament we've put ourselves in. Our world image of ourselves is stuck in the 40's and 50's, and that's not us any more. We wonder why countries don't react to us as they did back then. We still want to lead, but no one wants to follow any more. We've marketed our way into a slumber, while the "third world" countries have ramped up capacity to take over things we used to do. They are us, 50 years ago. We are the Roman empire... a feeling of entitlement in a decayed world that is about to crumble...
And don't ask me how I got from "svelte" to "decayed world"... reading back over what I just wrote, I don't have a clue... It just appeared on the screen... :)
P.S. - "Curious in Cleveland" did not sign his email that way. He's not from Cleveland. He's probably not even curious. I just took artistic license, because I always wanted to answer an email "Dear Curious"...
In response to my recent post about Americans being fat, I got the following email from a long-time reader...
"I was just wondering, after reading your stream of conscience post, why do you think that Europeans are more svelte that we are? Less 'fast food?' More exercise? Or are those over generalizations?
Curious In Cleveland"
Dear Curious...
Any answer I could come up with to defend my assertions would be just that... over-generalizations. Even the statement that Americans are fatter than Europeans is a generalization.
True, but a generalization... :)
I suspect it's due to a number of reasons. Our society is one of convenience, of abundance. We want to be comfortable and entertained, whether that be with TV, movies, or food. Why walk a half mile to the store if I can drive there? Why deny myself the joys of ice cream when the freezer shelf at the supermarket has 100 varieties? We have no responsibilities, just "rights". And it's my "right" to have whatever I want, whenever I want it, and I don't want to have to deal with any potential consequences to getting my way. And if something bad happens in that pursuit, I'll just sue...
Keep in mind, that this comes from someone who is quite comfortable, who is about to go drive to the store (a half-mile away), and who still is 40 pounds over a weight I'd like to be at (which is still 30 pounds over what charts would consider "normal").
My over-generalization is that Americans have lost their drive to excel and to lead. We've grown complacent and sluggish, and it's happened over a long period of time... Like the frog who boils to death because they adjust to the slowly rising heat, we've become blind to the predicament we've put ourselves in. Our world image of ourselves is stuck in the 40's and 50's, and that's not us any more. We wonder why countries don't react to us as they did back then. We still want to lead, but no one wants to follow any more. We've marketed our way into a slumber, while the "third world" countries have ramped up capacity to take over things we used to do. They are us, 50 years ago. We are the Roman empire... a feeling of entitlement in a decayed world that is about to crumble...
And don't ask me how I got from "svelte" to "decayed world"... reading back over what I just wrote, I don't have a clue... It just appeared on the screen... :)
P.S. - "Curious in Cleveland" did not sign his email that way. He's not from Cleveland. He's probably not even curious. I just took artistic license, because I always wanted to answer an email "Dear Curious"...
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Comments
Posted by Duffbert At 19:48:07 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |
1. Exercise. Sports of all sorts are regularly played by Italians, from soccer to swimming to aerobics. While the younger crowd does play video games, it's nowhere near the regularity as here in the US.
2. Walking. Italians spend tons of time outside socializing, taking regular walks in the evenings.
3. Food. No surprise here, food is a big deal in Italy. My diet largely consisted of fish, pasta, occasional meat, and lots of vegetables. Fast food restaurants are almost non-existent, and seemingly meant only for tourists. Pop and alcohol are drunk much less frequently.
Jason
Posted by Jason At 10:46:52 On 29/06/2006 | - Website - |
Reading this, I would figure most people would respond with a oversimplification, like "we don't exercise enough." But I have to imagine that there is at least a some truth to the answer Tom presents. And yet, AFAIK, most of our Presidents made public exercise a priority (or at least a photo op). Apparently, that doesn't make a difference for the rest of us. I would be very interested in what some of Tom's international fan base has to say on this topic.
Posted by Gregg Eldred At 19:48:46 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |
Posted by Ben Langhinrichs At 19:10:30 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |
muts... sit... down... too much.... tinfoil on head....
Posted by Jerry Carter At 11:05:06 On 06/07/2006 | - Website - |
Posted by Tom At 15:34:57 On 29/06/2006 | - Website - |
I think it;s this, and portion sizes....
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13362927/
Posted by Brian Benz At 10:00:04 On 30/06/2006 | - Website - |
Yes, America's health is a popular topic for every president. But it can't hold a candle to the advertising budget of McDonalds, Burger King, and Frito Lay...
Not that there's anything *wrong* with McDonalds, Burger King, and Frito Lay, you understand...
Posted by Duffbert At 20:06:04 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |
Posted by Ben Langhinrichs At 21:39:18 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |
Also those junk food serving sizes are bigger here too...
Posted by Gabe At 13:49:18 On 29/06/2006 | - Website - |
Since all corn syrup has GMOs, Europe doesn't get them.
Up until Corn syrup was introduced, Europeans and Americans ate the same amount of sugar, and were of relatively the same mass.
Since the introduction of corn syrup, that statistic has changed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A8003-2003Mar10?language=printer
One to one correlation? Probably not. But food for thought that won't add weight :D
-- JB
Posted by Justin At 23:49:49 On 28/06/2006 | - Website - |