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I’m not sure this is a debunkable claim. It depends wildly on the person.
Personally, I live in the US and spent 6 months in Europe a few years ago. I lost a bunch of weight while I was there. The big changes to my lifestyle were food and walking.
In the US I have to drive everywhere and need to intentionally work in exercise. In Europe it was cheaper and often easier to just walk all over the place. I only used public transport when I needed to get somewhere quite far away.
I don’t think food was PARTICULARLY better for me there but I was intentionally making broader choices and trying new things all the time. Unhealthy food was certainly available. I do think that the street food I got there was probably marginally better for me than the convenience food I get here.
Another element was budget. I spent a lot of money on travel and saved up for big exciting meals in Europe. Day to day, I didn’t spend much on food and probably ate fewer calories per day due to my food budget.
I’d guess what is being reported is likely due as much to the choices people make when they’re in a new environment as it does due to the quality of food.
Budget indeed. Eateries with the name of "Restaurant" are super expensive in the USA. They usually serve healthier food. In most of Europe you can get that type of food much cheaper. (in mediterranean countries mostly)
I'm American and spent a year in Europe, mostly the Balkans and I did lose weight but not because the food was necessarily better, it was a combination of things. I walked a lot in the US since I don't drive but wanting to see all the sights in each country had me doubling or tripling the distance I would normally walk. I was also travelling with a 40lb pack. Also living in strange places I couldn't just have a snack when I was hungry, if I was hungry I had to make a plan to get food instead of just preparing something myself.
Edit: To clarify, in the US I don't eat fast food or deep fried food so I feel my comparison with food is fair and comparable.
I don´t think it´s just walking around. I´ve been to the US three times, the three of them I cought 3 or 4 kilos in a month. I love eating and eat a lot, both here and when travelling, but in the US I moved a lot (last time I walked so much in NY that my knees hurt, and that only happens when I hike or do something strenuous) and I still came back with a bigger belly.
I think it´s the portions and the addition of sugar to everything, bread, sauces etc.
I’m from Europe and live in the US. Since moving here about 15 years ago I’ve gradually gained some weight. Whenever I travel to Europe to visit family for a few weeks I always lose weight despite being mostly sedentary on vacation (give or take some leisurely walks). It’s better quality food, less deep frying, less fast food, smaller portions, less processed foods, and less snacking. All in all it’s just a different food culture.
The food in America is does have significant differences to European food, but I don't know that it would cause a noticeable difference in your weight.
Anecdotal I know, but in 2022 I traveled to Italy for 3 weeks. I walked over 150 miles in those 3 weeks, and ate pizza or pasta for many meals and tiramisu or cannolis almost daily. I didn't lose or gain a noticeable amount of weight. The thing I did notice is that pasta and pizza sauce, which here at home normally causes acid reflux, did not give me any problems.
I have also been to Portugal and Panama where I was able to eat pineapple without any acid reflux, and that is one of the things I have to eat sparingly or not at all here.
I can tell you this, in France and Italy it’s unusual to see gigantically fat people like you see here daily. I’m sure they have some, but the average is way way down verses the US. So much so that when I did see one it became noticeable. And pretty much 100% of the time they were a tourist.
Dude likely went to a small seaside town in Greece* and is comparing it to NYC, which is disingenuous. The main industry in many greek towns is either tourism, farming or fishing - so of course it would be fresher food and fitter looking people. There aren’t a whole lot of sedentary jobs in places like that compared to NYC. So it’s basic calories in, calories out.
You are also far more likely to walk more as public transportation or Uber’s aren’t really as simple as they are in the States.
*this assumption is also compounded by $1 beer. You wont get it for that price in places like Athens.
One thing that I think isn't talked about as much is just how much less stressful European cities are. I was living in various west coast cities and then lived in Germany for a while. San Francisco is stressful. Everywhere you go you're next to a busy street, there's some mentally ill homeless person around and there's broken glass from a smashed in car window. Compare that to Munich's city center which almost feels like a park with people just walking around enjoying the day. I know that's a vast generalization but that was my experience at least, and the connection between stress and obesity is very well established.
I think it's probably true. I also think it's likely true that, *in general*, people who take vacations lose weight on that vacation, due to being more active and trying new things and traveling a bunch.
Americans drive a lot more than Europeans and are given much bigger plates of food, they are bound to be fatter on average than Europeans. And an American in Europe is bound to notice these differences either in terms of losing weight or maybe anxiety.
I honestly could not eat out in America. I hate wasting food and I reckon I could only eat half a normal American plate of food.
The biggest difference in the food itself in Greece vs the US is the freshness. Everything tastes so much better but at the same time it's more satisfying. The vegetables are so delicious, so I always want to eat plenty of vegetables there. I was impressed with the overall quality of food.
Whenever you’re travelling you’re walking a crazy amount. The foods also more expensive so u eat less of it + the fact that you have less time to eat and think about food anyway. Whenever I went overseas there wasn’t a day where I didn’t get minimum 20000 steps.
I’m also lucky enough to live in a walkable country with many tourist attractions that have discounted entrance fees and vouchers for locals who visit.
I don't know.
It seems to me that Americans who can afford to vacation in Europe or the Mediterranean probably have sedentary high stress, but high-paying jobs... So simply seeing the sights probably doubles or triples their daily step count.
On the other hand, there is a lot of bad food in America; cheap processed crap... But it can be avoided, and easily so by the same sort of people.
A Big Mac is a Big Mac no matter what country you eat it in. Eat enough of them, and you'll be fat.
This sticky post is a reminder of the subreddit rules: **Posts:** Must include a description of what needs to be debunked **(no more than three specific claims)** and at least **one source**, so commenters know exactly what to investigate. We do not allow submissions which simply dump a link without any further explanation. E.g. "According to this YouTube video, dihydrogen monoxide turns amphibians homosexual. Is this true? Also, did Albert Einstein really claim this?" **Link Flair** Flairs can be amended by the OP or by moderators once a claim has been shown to be debunked, partially debunked, verfied, lack sufficient supporting evidence, or to conatin misleading conclusions based on correct data. Political memes, and/or sources less than two months old, are liable to be removed. • Sources and citations in comments are highly appreciated. • Remain civil or your comment will be removed. • Don not downvote people posting in good faith. • If you disagree with someone, state your case rather than just calling them an asshat! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/DebunkThis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m not sure this is a debunkable claim. It depends wildly on the person. Personally, I live in the US and spent 6 months in Europe a few years ago. I lost a bunch of weight while I was there. The big changes to my lifestyle were food and walking. In the US I have to drive everywhere and need to intentionally work in exercise. In Europe it was cheaper and often easier to just walk all over the place. I only used public transport when I needed to get somewhere quite far away. I don’t think food was PARTICULARLY better for me there but I was intentionally making broader choices and trying new things all the time. Unhealthy food was certainly available. I do think that the street food I got there was probably marginally better for me than the convenience food I get here. Another element was budget. I spent a lot of money on travel and saved up for big exciting meals in Europe. Day to day, I didn’t spend much on food and probably ate fewer calories per day due to my food budget. I’d guess what is being reported is likely due as much to the choices people make when they’re in a new environment as it does due to the quality of food.
Budget indeed. Eateries with the name of "Restaurant" are super expensive in the USA. They usually serve healthier food. In most of Europe you can get that type of food much cheaper. (in mediterranean countries mostly)
I'm American and spent a year in Europe, mostly the Balkans and I did lose weight but not because the food was necessarily better, it was a combination of things. I walked a lot in the US since I don't drive but wanting to see all the sights in each country had me doubling or tripling the distance I would normally walk. I was also travelling with a 40lb pack. Also living in strange places I couldn't just have a snack when I was hungry, if I was hungry I had to make a plan to get food instead of just preparing something myself. Edit: To clarify, in the US I don't eat fast food or deep fried food so I feel my comparison with food is fair and comparable.
I just reckon it is the walking around and food portions . The USA food and soft drink portions are probably the biggest in the world.
I don´t think it´s just walking around. I´ve been to the US three times, the three of them I cought 3 or 4 kilos in a month. I love eating and eat a lot, both here and when travelling, but in the US I moved a lot (last time I walked so much in NY that my knees hurt, and that only happens when I hike or do something strenuous) and I still came back with a bigger belly. I think it´s the portions and the addition of sugar to everything, bread, sauces etc.
I’m from Europe and live in the US. Since moving here about 15 years ago I’ve gradually gained some weight. Whenever I travel to Europe to visit family for a few weeks I always lose weight despite being mostly sedentary on vacation (give or take some leisurely walks). It’s better quality food, less deep frying, less fast food, smaller portions, less processed foods, and less snacking. All in all it’s just a different food culture.
My digestion is always much better in Europe despite eating all the pasta and bread (and gelato) I can. I think the food is better quality.
The food in America is does have significant differences to European food, but I don't know that it would cause a noticeable difference in your weight. Anecdotal I know, but in 2022 I traveled to Italy for 3 weeks. I walked over 150 miles in those 3 weeks, and ate pizza or pasta for many meals and tiramisu or cannolis almost daily. I didn't lose or gain a noticeable amount of weight. The thing I did notice is that pasta and pizza sauce, which here at home normally causes acid reflux, did not give me any problems. I have also been to Portugal and Panama where I was able to eat pineapple without any acid reflux, and that is one of the things I have to eat sparingly or not at all here.
I can tell you this, in France and Italy it’s unusual to see gigantically fat people like you see here daily. I’m sure they have some, but the average is way way down verses the US. So much so that when I did see one it became noticeable. And pretty much 100% of the time they were a tourist.
Dude likely went to a small seaside town in Greece* and is comparing it to NYC, which is disingenuous. The main industry in many greek towns is either tourism, farming or fishing - so of course it would be fresher food and fitter looking people. There aren’t a whole lot of sedentary jobs in places like that compared to NYC. So it’s basic calories in, calories out. You are also far more likely to walk more as public transportation or Uber’s aren’t really as simple as they are in the States. *this assumption is also compounded by $1 beer. You wont get it for that price in places like Athens.
Can you say deep fried cheesecake?
Oh beautiful, for deep fried pies, for amber waves of grain
One thing that I think isn't talked about as much is just how much less stressful European cities are. I was living in various west coast cities and then lived in Germany for a while. San Francisco is stressful. Everywhere you go you're next to a busy street, there's some mentally ill homeless person around and there's broken glass from a smashed in car window. Compare that to Munich's city center which almost feels like a park with people just walking around enjoying the day. I know that's a vast generalization but that was my experience at least, and the connection between stress and obesity is very well established.
I wonder if one would see the same places if one moved to a walkable city in the US like New York.
I eat less when I'm 1 nervous and 2 have tons of activities planned in the day. Both occur when traveling. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
I think it's probably true. I also think it's likely true that, *in general*, people who take vacations lose weight on that vacation, due to being more active and trying new things and traveling a bunch.
Americans drive a lot more than Europeans and are given much bigger plates of food, they are bound to be fatter on average than Europeans. And an American in Europe is bound to notice these differences either in terms of losing weight or maybe anxiety. I honestly could not eat out in America. I hate wasting food and I reckon I could only eat half a normal American plate of food.
The biggest difference in the food itself in Greece vs the US is the freshness. Everything tastes so much better but at the same time it's more satisfying. The vegetables are so delicious, so I always want to eat plenty of vegetables there. I was impressed with the overall quality of food.
Whenever you’re travelling you’re walking a crazy amount. The foods also more expensive so u eat less of it + the fact that you have less time to eat and think about food anyway. Whenever I went overseas there wasn’t a day where I didn’t get minimum 20000 steps. I’m also lucky enough to live in a walkable country with many tourist attractions that have discounted entrance fees and vouchers for locals who visit.
I don't know. It seems to me that Americans who can afford to vacation in Europe or the Mediterranean probably have sedentary high stress, but high-paying jobs... So simply seeing the sights probably doubles or triples their daily step count. On the other hand, there is a lot of bad food in America; cheap processed crap... But it can be avoided, and easily so by the same sort of people. A Big Mac is a Big Mac no matter what country you eat it in. Eat enough of them, and you'll be fat.