The Real Reasons Europeans Are Skinnier Than Americans

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P.S. This is not professional medical advice and should not be taken as such. The creator of this video is not held accountable for your health. Consult your doctor first.

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[benjaminnielsen]

As an American who was raised in the states and spent a lot of time living and working overseas, I will weigh in here. Slim is right. We eat way too much here, no matter small town or city. Junk food, fast food, convenience food is around every corner and easy to get. And its all shit food. Everyone's always eating and many many people are overweight, myself included. We are always eating on the go.

Now having said that, there are many people here who are fit, who eat well, who exercise and maintain themselves. The problem is most folks are tuned to an unhealthy way of eating, pretty much from childhood. When I was a kid growing up, I thought breads, cereals, fruit rollups, sodas, juices, and other snacks were what we were supposed to be eating. Watching cartoons after school and seeing all the commercials marketing snacks and sugary junk as the norm. When you're eight or ten years old, you don't know any better. Of course parents have a lot to do with this too. Mine didn't really stop me from eating junk and 2 liter bottles of mountain dews everyday. So I grew up on this shitty western diet of crap. Only now in my mid 40's am I recognizing and trying to change my diet and fix my health to get away from our crappy way of eating. Again, food and food advertisements are EVERYWHERE here. And its sad to see how people in this country have become so fat and sedentary. I always joke about the movie "Wall-E" with all the fat useless slobs rolling around in those electric chairs... that's going to be us if we don't starting making changes. In a way, we're already there.

When I was overseas I saw a complete different eating culture. And whenever I would travel through Europe, I always noticed thinner, fitter, healthier looking people. And when I come home, so many people look unhealthy and out of shape. People in the grocery stores riding around on motorized scooters. Its pathetic and embarrassing. I hate that this has happened to us here. I hate that it seems to be the normal way of life. Personally, as a victim and doer of this lifestyle, I blame television, marketing, the processed sugar industry, and in some ways parents. People dying of heart attacks in their 50's and 60's, other people getting full blown diabetes in mid life. It's so sad. I know many people who are diabetic and the majority of them eat sugary shit all the time. It blows my mind.

Btw, I don't really like the bread here in the states, but I LOVE the bread you guys have in Europe! It's so different and so good.

[ceruleanswim]

I miss living in a walkable city. Where I live driving is necessary and it’s not even safe to go for a walk.

[RyanBrosnahan]

I'm pretty sure the calorie numbers are how many calories are sold domestically. If everyone actually consumed 3500 or 3900 cals I don't think doors would be wide enough for anyone.

[nancynelson]

I’m quite tired of people in my area of the US blaming carbs for all weight issues. Fantastic video. :-)

[e-biketraveler]

Massive amounts of glyphosate, sugar and seed oils in USA....

[thomasackley]

Siim,
I believe you may have omitted an important difference between the SAD and the European diet when comparing carbs. Though the quantities may be roughly equivalent, the quality is not. The SAD uses a lot of American wheat in cereal, bread, pastries, and pasta. In the US wheat is heavily treated with glyphosate (both as a pesticide and to "dry" the harvested wheat to separate the grain from the stalk). I believe a lot of other countries, probably Europe included, have banned the use of glyphosate. I think a large part of America's comparitive "unwellness" might be directly attributable to this single practice.

[JICKY.]

BHT is not put as "flavor enhancer", but as antioxidant it prevents the fats from going rancid, so the cereals taste better.

[scotty]

The other big problem is so many people now don’t believe in calories in calories out ….

[tucker]

It’s not that things are like this because Europe is like this because it’s a socialist utopia and America is a capitalist nightmare, it’s that Europeans have a deeper connection to their heritage, with people living in cities hundreds or thousands of years old, carrying on traditions in food, exercise, work, etc that they’ve been doing for a long time. America was like a sandbox with infinite money and tradition didn’t matter much.

[EmpressWanderlust]

US diet is challenging if you eat like an American.

I maintain the same weight regardless of location—I cook my own meals and I’m pretty active. I don’t do SAD. And I’m pretty active (though not in the gym), and because I live intentionally, I’m getting healthier as I age. My body fat is 17%.

[DivineLogos]

I'm from the Netherlands and many of us take the bike to school or work.
So people easily bike 2 x 20 minutes a day. Which is 40 minutes of exercise just in itself.

[edl]

You also have to take into account Fructose (high fructose corn syrup) which is added to most processed foods. It is a cheap and made from corn which is subsidized. It is much cheaper than regular cane sugar. Fructose causes brain chemistry changes that causes reduces metabolism, increased craving, increase blood pressure, etc... I suggest reading "Nature Wants Us to Be Fat" by Dr. Richard J. Johnson.

[JustAZ]

I would say the Brits are on the same level as Americans. It also depends what part of the country you live in. The south is generally heavier than other parts of the country but there is no doubt the fast food industry is killing the US.

[SladkaPritomnost]

Very good video, I agree on everything, thanks for nice summary Siim!

[harrisonschwartz]

I tend to think Americans fall on the extremes.

Most American cities aren’t nearly as walkable (you basically need to carry a weapon to travel on public transportation these days) and extremely calorically dense food (sometimes with substances banned in the EU) are common and relatively cheap via fast food.

When I traveled to Switzerland the Burger King portions were tiny and expensive, but did taste better. Then again, in both their and Germany there were plenty of unhealthy eating options. Alcohol is also cheaper and more abundant in Germany at least. I was surprised how much they offer it at restaurants, whereas US restaurants offer complimentary water. There’s alcoholism in the US for sure, but it seems teetotalism almost taboo in Europe.

I feel most Germans and Swiss people were somewhere in the middle. What we’d call “Dad bod.”

American gym culture is seemingly more pronounced, particularly in cities. There’s also more ultra-healthy type grocery store chains (Trader Joes and Sprouts) and healthier restaurant chains in the US (like Cava and Chipotle).

So, here you’re either very fit or terribly out of shape. More choices here, but most choose the bad ones

[Eddies_Bra-att-ha-grejer]

What causes those really obese people that only seem to exist in the US, not even in countries with overall higher obesity rates such as all those pacific islands?

[peterwhite]

Um..400 calories per day would be 20kg in a year. That’s more than enough to explain everything

[theancientsancients]

Its about the quality of calories. They are not equal the calories as Americans eat more processed calories even wholefoods have many chemicals in the US

[ClaudeDiamond]

Thank you Sim. It's Just good old common sense, eat less, eat smart, daily exercise.. America has made it socially acceptable to be obese.

[VRCM_Skywarn_XUSA]

I stay away, from ....
Synth. Liquids, Bread, Pork & Smokers.

Problem solved. Yes ..Seriously.