The REAL Reason America is Obese | 9 Studies Compare Europeans to Americans

Are Europeans Healthier Than Americans?

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References

Timestamps ⏱

0:00 - Intro
2:17 - Life Expectancies
3:31 - Obesity Comparisons
4:27 - Healthcare Differences
5:54 - Ultra-Processed Foods
8:09 - Join Thrive Market Today to get 30% Off Your First Order AND a Free Gift Worth up to $60!
9:23 - Banned Ingredients & Capitalism
10:45 - Processed Food Advertising (psychological effect)
12:20 - Prevalence of Processed Food (% of calories from processed food)
14:02 - Walkable Cities
15:58 - Diet to Follow

[adrianahlz]

I live in Sweden and when visiting the US last fall, I was amazed at how hard it was to get "real" food. I also saw just two types of people: either fat (mayority), or super well trained. There was no medium. To live in the US and not be overweight, I imagine it requires dedication and being always hyper-aware of the foods you eat. You cannot just go on autopilot.

[wolverine]

I'm old enough to remember when the health "experts" determined that butter, animal fats, and red meat were unhealthy. Almost overnight people began to consume margarine and vegetable oils. I also remember when fast foods and junk foods became more readily available.

I don't believe anyone thought these changes were healthy. The root cause of this madness is the lack of ethics. It's all about the love of money over a good conscience.

[johnrobi]

After travelling through several countries in Europe, I noticed the people are far more relaxed than in the US. It seems they also work to live; not live to work like we do here. The food is so much better; just about all the foods I avoided in the US, I could eat in Spain, Italy, France, with no side effects; no indigestion, no acid reflux.

[TomRipley]

I think we in the UK are starting to give Americans a run for their money in terms of adult obesity, but I’ve never seen such HUGE kids than in the US. I was there a couple of months ago and they’re like little barrels. You shouldn’t be morbidly obese at 10 years old. That’s bad parenting.

[bcab]

I'm an American living in Dusseldorf, Germany and the infrastructure is completely designed as a walkable city. My girlfriend and I have no requirements for a car as everything can be reached within a 15 - 20 minute walk. Its a game changer and a rare sight of obesity regardless of the less than stellar traditional German diet. Its saddening knowing how unattainable this lifestyle is in American and wish it wasn't the case.

[burymebelowawillowtree]

My daughter went to Europe some weeks ago for a five days and when she came back she was slimmer and glowing. She told me she didn’t feel tired or bloated. She was amazed, she thought it was normal to feel bloated after eating. That experience opened up her eyes to be very mindful about her diet.

[ruimarques]

I live in Europe, I'm Portuguese, the basis of my diet is simple, I don't consume processed foods. Food is meant to be peeled, not unpacked.

[Journeyofamomdoc]

When I went to Croatia 🇭🇷
We had fresh caught fish and tomatoes/cucumbers salad from
The garden … all fresh … simple and healthy

[margrose]

The FDA is complicit in this obesity epidemic. I would say the AMA, big pharma, and the food industry is, as well. It’s all about money. Every time.

[juliasummers]

When I travelled to the US, I found the food too sweet, too much and too processed. My relatives in the US seemed to be constantly stressed, too. We walk a lot in Europe and use very often public transportations. So we don't necessarily need to go to the gym to do sports. When we went on a vacation in Southern Europe, we walked hours and hours and enjoyed the outdoor time greatly. The food was always fresh and delicious.

[Broccoli_Highkicks]

As a European, I'm always amazed when I see documentary footage of average Americans from the 70s and 80s, and notice how thin they are. 8 out of 10 average Americans I see nowadays are at least 50 pounds overweight. And it's not just big bellies or fat thighs, they're huge all-over.

I looked up stats for average male waist size recently, and for Americans it's up to 40.2 inches. Dude, that's HUGE. I worry when I don't need a belt to hold up 32 inch pants...

Clearly something happened in the last 20 to 30 years to the average diet in the US. Some of the garbage Americans shovel into their face, you couldn't even legally sell in the EU. But because the US is a regulation cutting free-for-all, food manufacturers can cut corners and pump you full of any old shit.
America seems wholly unwilling to accept, that letting corporations basically regulate themselves, is like giving a burglar the key to your house and a schedule on when you're going to be out. The honor system doesn't work on profit-obsessed sociopaths.
You want to know the real difference between the US and Western Europe? It's simply unregulated vs regulated capitalism. The problem is that Americans have turned an economic system into a cult - a way of life that cannot be questioned or critiqued, because doing so would be "un-American". Religion is still big in the US, but ain't no god higher in America than the Almighty Dollar, no religion bigger than Capitalism, no commandment holier than Profit.
The ancient Romans had bread and circuses; America has processed junkfood and network TV.

[uisblackcat]

I'm so glad you're talking about walkable cities and ultra-processed food! They go hand-in-hand. I noticed that it was easier for me eat fresh food when I lived in an urban, walkable place, because I could just go to the market whenever I needed some greens. I live in a car-dependent area now. It's a hassle to get in the car, fight traffic, find a parking space, go into the mega store, and find the fresh ingredients.

[vincewhite]

First time I went to Netherlands, I stayed at 5 star hotel. I went to the front desk & asked where the gym is. He asked ‘what is a gym?’. I said ‘A place to exercise.’ He pointed to the doors to the outside, & said, ‘All the Exercise you could want is out there.’ I then asked about a pool, he laughed and said, there’s lots of channels out there too, go for a swim, ’

[yearight]

I have family that married people from Lebanon then brought them here to America. In both cases when they came here they were slender, and in both cases they started gaining weight and couldn't explain it since they were eating the same stuff they were eating back home. There's definitely something different about our food.

[enonknives]

Ultra processed foods, high stress, toxins in the environment, lack of community, lack of physical activity. This is why comparing to so-called "blue zones" is irrelevant.

[megarodcam]

In all my many years of living in several countries in Europe, I have yet to encounter one single person who felt less free than America or who was jealous in any way or form. If you mention it, they'll ask you what liberties and freedom you're talking about. Europeans also feel they have full freedom. I think the narrative should be that freedom exists in both regions in different forms, and it's more a matter of cultural adaptation.

[marpsr]

Bottom line: don’t be a sheep! Get informed, make choices that don’t compromise your health. Eat whole foods and exercise.

[mofly]

I was in Iceland several years ago- I am somewhat tall thin and blonde and people assumed I was European. When I told them I was from the US they actual said "but you're not fat" I cracked up but they are right I grew up in KY and would always go clothes shopping there vs Chicago where I live because the small size women's clothes were always 50% off or more in KY because everyone is so large. It's very sad. The fat kids in KY make me sad I think it should be considered child abuse. I'm 42 and remember like one fat kid in my elementary school classes.

[KatsCorner]

I was a junk food junky for fifty years. It lead to me having a lot of health issues including Asthma. Gum disease. Type two diabetes. Bladder infections. Hypothyroidism . High blood pressure, and chronic Venus insufficiency. I was sixty and looked 70. I wanted to die. One day I stopped all processed food by becoming carnivore. In two weeks I was walking to work. In a month I lost twenty pounds. I was shocked. Seven months later and I am off all meds. I am at my teenage weight, exercising daily, cooking my own food and I only eat real food from the edges of the grocery store. My teeth feel great. I look like I am In my fifties and my hair colour is coming back and most importantly I am off all meds and 100 percent healthy. We are what we eat and I am never going back to sugar, processed food and seed oils. I hope others do the same.

[schadenfreude]

I grew up in Germany during the 90s and the food was just so much better. I remember ordering chinese in the states when we returned and it was night and day the quality vs Chinese food in Germany.