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How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

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Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#11

Post by jicea »

lm28469 wrote: post #8
jajko wrote: post #2

Well look at French culture and history - always focus on quality of the cuisine, the taste experience, quality of ingredients, preparing meal is often a family/friends social ritual. Anybody who ever went through proper Michelin * experience can tell stories. Naturally you put healthier stuff inside compared to some cheap quick to make fast food stuff. And if +- whole nation is having this sort of mindset, you see r…

People also tend to be much more frank and will absolutely roast you when you start getting fat. Everyone under 30 eats the same shit as in any other western country, we don't make ratatouille and boeuf bourguignon every day, for example we are the EU country with the most mcdonald's

You can also take a green salad in the standard McDonald's menus instead of french fries, and I think this is specific to French McDonald's.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#12

Post by cjrp »

b3ing wrote: post #10

Many “skinnier” countries use natural foods and cook all their meals. And that means no shortcuts with canned food, few spice bottles, etc. I think that is part of it, plus their plates have more vegetables. A lot of our meats in the US have hormones these days. Plus almost everything boxed, canned or packaged has sugar, fructose, corn syrup or the fake sugar for zero calories- none of which are good.

I also wonder if work/life balance is a contributing factor. If your work ends promptly at 5pm, you have more time and energy to cook a real meal, rather than pick up something like fast food.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#13

Post by Celmfire »

jicea wrote: post #11
lm28469 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People also tend to be much more frank and will absolutely roast you when you start getting fat. Everyone under 30 eats the same shit as in any other western country, we don't make ratatouille and boeuf bourguignon every day, for example we are the EU country with the most mcdonald's

You can also take a green salad in the standard McDonald's menus instead of french fries, and I think this is specific to French McDonald's.

We have this in Australian McDonald's also

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#14

Post by lm28469 »

jicea wrote: post #11
lm28469 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People also tend to be much more frank and will absolutely roast you when you start getting fat. Everyone under 30 eats the same shit as in any other western country, we don't make ratatouille and boeuf bourguignon every day, for example we are the EU country with the most mcdonald's

You can also take a green salad in the standard McDonald's menus instead of french fries, and I think this is specific to French McDonald's.

Salads aren't always good: https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/assets/referentiel/file/1482...

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#15

Post by jicea »

lm28469 wrote: post #14
jicea wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also take a green salad in the standard McDonald's menus instead of french fries, and I think this is specific to French McDonald's.

Salads aren't always good: https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/assets/referentiel/file/1482...

Yes it's not the salad as remplacement for the burger, it's more green salad without any meat that replaces french fries in your burger menu.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#16

Post by throwaway22032 »

lm28469 wrote: post #8
jajko wrote: post #2

Well look at French culture and history - always focus on quality of the cuisine, the taste experience, quality of ingredients, preparing meal is often a family/friends social ritual. Anybody who ever went through proper Michelin * experience can tell stories. Naturally you put healthier stuff inside compared to some cheap quick to make fast food stuff. And if +- whole nation is having this sort of mindset, you see r…

People also tend to be much more frank and will absolutely roast you when you start getting fat. Everyone under 30 eats the same shit as in any other western country, we don't make ratatouille and boeuf bourguignon every day, for example we are the EU country with the most mcdonald's

This is the key distinction IMO.

The French smoke and drink and eat crap food just like everyone else.

They just don't mess about in my experience. If you are fat, you are fat. You're not body positive, you're not big boned, you don't have a slow metabolism, you're not in a food desert, you're not even obese, you're just fat. Sort it out.

They're not afraid of calling a spade a spade.

It really is that simple when you aren't surrounded by enablers.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#17

Post by TheNewsIsHere »

throwaway22032 wrote: post #16
lm28469 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People also tend to be much more frank and will absolutely roast you when you start getting fat. Everyone under 30 eats the same shit as in any other western country, we don't make ratatouille and boeuf bourguignon every day, for example we are the EU country with the most mcdonald's

This is the key distinction IMO. The French smoke and drink and eat crap food just like everyone else. They just don't mess about in my experience. If you are fat, you are fat. You're not body positive, you're not big boned, you don't have a slow metabolism, you're not in a food desert, you're not even obese, you're just fat. Sort it out. They're not afraid of calling a spade a spade. It really is that simple when yo…

> food desert

There are absolutely places, at least here in the U.S., where food deserts really are a thing though.

I live in the south and there are places here where you can't buy fresh produce for miles. I don't live in such a place but I've been to these kinds of places.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#19

Post by throwaway22032 »

TheNewsIsHere wrote: post #17
throwaway22032 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the key distinction IMO. The French smoke and drink and eat crap food just like everyone else. They just don't mess about in my experience. If you are fat, you are fat. You're not body positive, you're not big boned, you don't have a slow metabolism, you're not in a food desert, you're not even obese, you're just fat. Sort it out. They're not afraid of calling a spade a spade. It really is that simple when yo…

> food desert There are absolutely places, at least here in the U.S., where food deserts really are a thing though. I live in the south and there are places here where you can't buy fresh produce for miles. I don't live in such a place but I've been to these kinds of places.

Eating frozen and/or low quality food will not make you fat. Especially stuff like frozen veg and chicken fillets.

You might have trouble if you literally only eat Cheetos and get no nutrients. You're more likely to become malnourished and sickly than obese that way.

Also, chest freezers exist, nothing is stopping you from driving and loading up the car/truck for a month or more. In the UK a 200 mile round trip would cost £30 or less in fuel, my understanding is that you Americans pay half of that.

The question ultimately comes down to whether you want it enough. I can already see the next gotcha being "what if you don't have a car" or something. Sure, if you are a waster then doing literally anything is hard, self fulfilling prophecy.

Re: How is France dodging the global obesity trend?

#20

Post by seabird »

TheNewsIsHere wrote: post #17
throwaway22032 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the key distinction IMO. The French smoke and drink and eat crap food just like everyone else. They just don't mess about in my experience. If you are fat, you are fat. You're not body positive, you're not big boned, you don't have a slow metabolism, you're not in a food desert, you're not even obese, you're just fat. Sort it out. They're not afraid of calling a spade a spade. It really is that simple when yo…

> food desert There are absolutely places, at least here in the U.S., where food deserts really are a thing though. I live in the south and there are places here where you can't buy fresh produce for miles. I don't live in such a place but I've been to these kinds of places.

You'd find a way regardless of your fresh produce situation if everybody called you a lardass every day.

We're not talking about being healthy, we're talking about not being obese. You can absolutely lose weight eating awful shit every day; I'm doing it right now. In a fucked up way, it's easy. Look at calories in the drive-thru/on the wrapper and just stay below your target. That's what multiple people are saying in these comments -- they aren't necessarily being healthy, they are just not eating enough to become fat.

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