Britons, Diet, and Chocolate

I recall reading that Britons may in fact have a healthier diet than Americans but not by a substantial margin. However, I can’t seem to find that reference to either diet or health.  But I did find a 2001 reference to the incidence of overweight and obesity in the combined countries of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom as compared with other regions in the world. (http://www.obesityresearch.org/cgi/content/full/9/suppl_4/S228)

The women as a group in these nations are only slightly better off than North American women (including the United States, Canada, and Cuba). However North American men seem to be significantly heavier than their European counterparts. I wonder why?

In any event, we (Americans) seem to be following the same trend  as Britons respect to food choices. Sales are up for both healthier or more wholesome foods but so are sales of higher calorie, more indulgent foods. When Britons choose to eat healthy they then feel they deserve a reward. That reward may be a glass of wine or some chocolate. Are Americans doing the same? I’m guilty. I go for a piece of chocolate when I can. How about you?



Guardian Unlimited Business | | We eat healthily – and our reward is chocolate, says survey

The statistics on overweight and obesity also have me questioning the concept that French women don’t get fat. Really? Mireille Guiliano authored a book by that title.  She argued that the French are able to eat potentially fattening food such as croissants and chocolate without getting fat because they take time to savor flavors and eat smaller portions. 

So does it work or not?  Do French women not get fat as she suggests? If so, I like the concept for the French way of eating… Place the emphasis on freshness, variety, balance, and ALWAYS pleasure… Now who can argue with that?

O.K. I’ve just now found a 2006 reference to overweight and obesity in France. In 2003, 30% of the adults were overweight and 11% obese (same standards as for Americans). So “some” French women DO get fat but not as many as here in the United States.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstract

Plus&list_uids=16493328&query_hl=8&itool=pubmed_docsum

Approximately 65 % of Americans are overweight and 31% obese. So what does that mean for the British (and Germans)?