Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
1–10 of 60 posts
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#2In 2004 I visited my family in Valencia, Spain. There was a local construction boom. There were family owned shops everywhere. Bakeries, fruit stands, etc.
When I went back in 2014, it seems everything had changed. The shops were gone. The construction had slacked off. Instead there were now giant supermarkets and superstores. They were on the Euro now. My cousins blamed the EU for this. I'm assuming something similar happened in Italy, tho it is not mentioned in the article, which instead tends to blame the victims. When you replace the local food supply chain with prepared branded foods (Nutella, etc.), you get this. The EU has been great for European capitalists, but a detriment to the people in Europe.
PS This was one of the major complaints of the long forgotten yellow-vests protests in France.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#3In 2004 I visited my family in Valencia, Spain. There was a local construction boom. There were family owned shops everywhere. Bakeries, fruit stands, etc. When I went back in 2014, it seems everything had changed. The shops were gone. The construction had slacked off. Instead there were now giant supermarkets and superstores. They were on the Euro now. My cousins blamed the EU for this. I'm assuming something simila…
I'm over 50. I played in the streets whole afternoons, full days during school vacations. They were dangerous years in Rome, terrorism, political violence, heroin everywhere.
Despite we are now living in safer years, no kids are playing in the streets anymore. Also in the nearby park, they struggle to reach a 5 vs 5 football (soccer) match when we had plenty more for a 11 vs 11.
A prominent psycologist just released an interview: why do italian parents love Sinner, the tennis player, praise his capabilities, his energy and willingness to train, but accept that their kids spend hours sitting on the couch playing games or browsing socials?
I also agree with you about local, family owned shops: in my area there were 2 supermarkets and they were far away. Now there are at least 6 and one is less than 300mt from my house. The family shops are still operating and thriving, but some have changed, adding locally pre-cooked food to the old offer.
So, less sport, more easily available junk food, more parents working late to keep supers open so more use of pre cooked food, more time spent on social media... a explosive mix
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#4In 2004 I visited my family in Valencia, Spain. There was a local construction boom. There were family owned shops everywhere. Bakeries, fruit stands, etc. When I went back in 2014, it seems everything had changed. The shops were gone. The construction had slacked off. Instead there were now giant supermarkets and superstores. They were on the Euro now. My cousins blamed the EU for this. I'm assuming something simila…
The hypermarket concept was more or less invented in France in 1963. Clearly joining the EU allowed greater trade options which suit large scale market leaders, but their growth would have happened anyway.
A lazy illustration, but there is not a single mention of the EU, the introduction of the Euro, or the single market on the extensive Wikipedia about the topic in the context of France, suggesting minimal impact.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#5Pasta and other carbohydrate-rich foods are nowhere near as bad as sugar for children. In the Nutella filled pastry, it is not the bread that’s the problem.
Sugar (particularly in beverages) and lack of exercise are the main contribution of child obesity increase worldwide.
Don’t blame the potato.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#6Article is good but with one puzzling flaw. They mention protein is one of the culprits, but nothing about why or how.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#7In 2004 I visited my family in Valencia, Spain. There was a local construction boom. There were family owned shops everywhere. Bakeries, fruit stands, etc. When I went back in 2014, it seems everything had changed. The shops were gone. The construction had slacked off. Instead there were now giant supermarkets and superstores. They were on the Euro now. My cousins blamed the EU for this. I'm assuming something simila…
Nobody is forced to eat (Italian!) Nutella instead of local made alternatives. As such many Germans do that.
I do look for regional food, though they are more expensive but also Aldi + Lidl are a bless.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#8Surely writing 374 lbs is easier than 26st 10lb.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#9Surely writing 374 lbs is easier than 26st 10lb.
The 2nd number immediately means something to me. While I have to consider the first. From my perspective it isn’t easier to comprehend.
An unrelated point. I’ve noticed more people in the UK measuring their weight in KG. I think I may be in a dwindling minority of people who think in stones and pounds.
Re: Pizza, pasta, potatoes, protein – how Italian children became so overweight
#10Pasta and other carbohydrate-rich foods are nowhere near as bad as sugar for children. In the Nutella filled pastry, it is not the bread that’s the problem. Sugar (particularly in beverages) and lack of exercise are the main contribution of child obesity increase worldwide. Don’t blame the potato.
> Pasta and other carbohydrate-rich foods are nowhere near as bad as sugar for children.
Sugar is as bad as it is because it's almost instantly absorbed. Plenty of carbohydrates are the same.
Fiber is what separates healthy carbs from unhealthy carbs, heck, even sugars.
An apple is healthy even though it's loaded with sugar because it's also loaded with fiber.
Apple juice is unhealthy because it's basically just the sugar.
Were I to guess, what's changed in italy is what's changed in the US. Flour has become highly refined, removing all the fiber that used to be present. This gives flour nice properties in terms of baking and pasta making, but it also removes a vital part of pasta.