French Paradox - France

April 2005
Despite having one of the richest diets on the planet, the French have one of the lowest rates of obesity and heart disease anywhere. They, quite literally, eat to their hearts' content.

[@MondoBeno]

Butter is NOT bad. The thing about the French is that they don't eat the same thing every single day, they don't eat fried foods every day, they don't eat processed foods full of sodium, the portions are balanced, and they don't snack.

[@creativecook100]

The French remind me of my life as a child in the 70s in North America, but I am Italian so we didn't eat as much processed food as many of my friends, eating a lot of fresh food from the garden. They walk and cycle more than they drive, they are not wasteful - they recycle and reuse, use public transportation, hang clothes to dry, walk up the stairs many floors, do not all have air conditioning, live in smaller spaces, eat smaller portions of very good quality food purchased fresh and frequently at outdoor markets, cook at home, eat slowly and socialize at meals, value their leisure time, have lots of holidays, and do not let stress and guilt rule their lives with gym memberships, fad diets, and long work hours.People do that here and the French are still slimmer and healthier. Maybe that's how they get away with the cream, the wine and smoking. I saw all of that in the 1970s here with the exception of larger homes and availability of more processed food. People were smaller even here back then. Now it is changing there as well with the spread of consumerism and fast food.

[@lazur1]

Walk a busy street in Italy, & count the native fat people. You'll need a calculator..

[@passigali]

on French TV, whenever there is a commercial for food, there's an advertisement reminding us not to eat between meals, to exercise and to eat fruits and veggies. The great problem in America is the food industry lobbies, if McDonald's were sponsoring Educational program in schools in France, there would be a riot !!!

[@hellothereiamme]

"there would be a riot" For any anglo reading that is not a figure of speech, there would literally be a riot out on the streets, like yellow west riots.

[@Yottabee]

I am a normal-weight, 115-lb. American woman. Having said that, when I come back, I want to be born in France. I want that food! I want that wine! 'Nuff said :)

[@thetruthwillsetyoufree9209]

According to Harvard Medical School the 'French Paradox' has to do with portion size vs the US, not the type of food. And yeah, that bit about the alcohol is BS. Tons of research on that

[@sherlockinaforever]

This documentary made me smile. We french were very well educated with eating properly. To invite someone for lunch is in our country something special; your guests take it for granted that you cook something original and lovely looking. Food is, in France, a religion, or I would rather say, it was. Today, young people do not care anymore for fine french cuisine. As I lived in England - I loved the people ! - there was one thing which made me sad : food !

[@addicted2trance]

let's not forget smoking suppresses appetite...the French smoke a lot, as do most Europeans

[@TheTroy103]

Let this be a guiding light to all of you Americans out there. You live fast and highly driven lives in order to "achieve". However, though you achieve material things, you miss out on the great natural and God given pleasures of life. These pleasures are simple, they include the appreciation of nature, nourishing food, leasurely time spent in the company of friends, and the odd glass or two of vino. Forget stress, enjoy your lives!

[@passigali]

We French prefer quality over quantity. Portions in America are huge. If the fast food restaurants are so cheap is because they use low quality products full of sugar, fat and salt to make more profit, and it's just the same with all processed food. The only way to fight obesity is to cook from scratch, sitting at the table for meal and enjoy the momment with your family, no snacking, no soft drinks (not even juices which are full of sugar).

[@Juvelqairth]

This opinion holds me.

[@darthvader5300]

Very simple. NO GMOs and NO GE-FOODS. Almost all organic, practicing French intensive organic gardening-farming, etc.

[@BastardTrees]

SMALL PORTIONS!!!

[@Da_Big_G]

Smoking is never good, but I almost admire the way French women live such stress-free lifestyles, just saying "la moitié, sil vous plaît" when offered food and just lighting up another Gauloise and saying "bof" instead of getting angry about things.

[@bocmaxima8789]

+Da Big G i'm french and what you said here is actually pretty accurate

[@savedfaves]

Pro tip: Avoid anything that says it's low-fat, because low fat means high sugar. And sugar is the real killer. You only have to look at that Channel 4 show in which people in a controlled manner took on the "Special K challenge" and actually put on weight. High fibre cereals (like all-bran) are the way to go. And contrary to popular belief sat fats are not bad for you.

[@MsTerri74]

@CizzarGX You are completely CORRECT. I'm an American living in Portugal and in general the Portuguese aren't very big. U have some but not many. Portuguese people like REAL FOOD. I couldn't agree more.

[@Anrwi]

I know their secret! I lived on the 4th floor of an apartment building (that's 5th floor to you Americans) in Paris, without an elevator. Most of my friends and acquaintances likewise lived on the top floors of elevator-less apartments, as did my doctor, the yoga studio I went to, and most of their public transportation systems are not 24 hours. By the time I moved back to the UK years later, I was toned! ... true, before the year was up, I got it all back : ( Vive la France!

[@kevin.afton_]

Moderate drinking: 3 liter by day! :)

[@omarjamal161]

its not the wine that keeps them healthy its the fats in their diet.

[@BAR-ct7ti]

It's both.

[@josephdennison4890]

Omar Jamal It's more than just the fats. Grass feed cows milk fat has high amounts of vitamin K2 and the French cheese has even higher levels of vitamin K2. Red wine will add to the reversatrol which lends to longer life.

[@wade2bosh]

skinny ppl dont diet. we just have good habits. even when surrounded by an obesogenic environment.

[@thetruthwillsetyoufree9209]

snd a higher basal metabolic rate

[@imnotabear]

The key word was "moderate" - the vid could have stopped there. The French don't get drunk or stuff themselves. They eat freshly prepared food and take their time over a meal, even lunch on a work day. When I was in the US just recently I was stunned by the serving sizes - I like to eat a variety of dishes with a meal but it was impossible without massive wastage or gluttony.

[@awesomeiguy]

the french know how to live, they eat alot they excersise alot and their in good shape, its the best of both worlds!!

[@BitchesCallMeTFree]

Just got back from France. Holy shit! People are so hot there!

[@mrlatornade]

I don't agree with the drinking of wine at every meal. I'm French myself and I drink wine only when I receive guests at home.

[@crazyjackfr]

Ben tu devrais en boire plus souvent!... soutiens aux viticulteurs! ;)

[@mrlatornade]

Abruti ! Pour tomber malade ? T'es con ou quoi ? Je te rappelle que c'est de l'alcool quand même donc avec modération.

[@Andrii87]

Good to know :)

[@Meteotrance]

I think our food are good cause it's also due to the manner you feed your animals in america, Hormone is autorized to feed the pork the beef and other animal's, but in France it's prohibited in the 70's we do the same like american farmer and it was a catastrophy for the health, the best country to have a diet is probably Japan and asia in generaly the food are so good that i have lost 10 kilogram in 1 month !!!

[@Ducky888888]

Its definitely a question of good habits vs bad habits. Simply put, question of education.

[@Ducky888888]

True. Also when we are stressed we tend to eat more.

[@gm6719]

is not only the portions and the wine they consume but also the cheese from unpasteurised milk

[@rachelhudson4662]

The statistics are a nonsense. The information is processed differently in different countries.

[@spiritfired]

Remember folks. Alcohol makes your blood run faster so don't abuse it by drinking too much and ruin your liver with this as excuse!

[@lkc0507]

2020 the paradox is solved - saturated fats are indeed good.

[@dtegg91]

Aaahh, they sell chickens like those near my apartment in Paris! I've never gotten one yet, but I feel one day I will succumb! I grew up in North America, and now I live in France and the diet is quite different. Food is more locally based and wine is a staple of the diet. However, the French do eat much more bread and fatty meats (ham, duck, etc.), and they enjoy their sweets. Yet, living in Paris, you walk an exceptional amount which causes for a healthy balance, but not a perfect one.

[@talon115]

We are so lied to in America!

[@RunSofrieRun]

Now im confused,in the video it says not to snack but ive heard people say to sncak regularly to keep your metabolism going.

[@MaxC17]

maybe it's because even though we love butter and flour... we don't eat a lot of processed food which has a lot of ingredients that I for one cannot pronounce. Plus the amaount they eat is... kinda gross... i love food and the idea of dieting for me isn't an option. But I don't get bags of chips and lots of fast food or processed food. I make most of my meals with raw ingredients... i dunno I think that's the mean difference from me to most of my American friends...

[@jacquelineveronique]

Hey, where was my background taken ? And I have never been to Europe ? Hahaha, I love Europe. Go there 90 days a year. My favorite countries ? Germany, Spain and Italy. Germany based on mom's heritage. Spain and Italy because I love Latin culture and the sun there.

[@iaindennis3321]

French diet has been ruined by the import of American fast food.

[@jacquelineveronique]

I don't know how they do it. They love their fatty foods, love their wines, love their cigarettes and have yet a longer life expectancy rate and lower obesity than we have here in America.

[@lazur1]

Check with Dr Doug MdGuff: High intensity strength training as been shown to lead to much better health outcomes than Resveratrol, but gosh, drinking wine is so much easier.

[@lazur1]

The so-called 'Paradox' diet is relatively new in France, closer to 30yrs, compared to the horrible diet Americans have been on for over 60yrs. Let's wait & see how this generation does.

[@mersaphireful]

yes i do agree

[@saba9514]

Wow🙂

[@SlyerPass]

@ClamLuvr Yeah, AND look at the portions!

[@lazur1]

My point is that there's a better way than _any_ particular country's diet, including France. 78 year French male life expectancy is _longer_ than it ever was before. The claim of low rates of heart disease in France was never true; it's always been one of the top causes of death. 78 is still middle age to my way of thinking. My family members make it to mid-80s at worst, & often late-90s. With a bit more attention to diet & exercise, I see no reason for heathy, active 100 year olds to be unusual. This won't happen by following the "French Paradox" diet.

[@MondoBeno]

Two hours for lunch? I'm lucky to get half an hour.

[@krysti1na]

Poulet rôti

[@DragonFly122]

Paula Deen might want to take notes.

[@jacquelineveronique]

klater = later

[@Captain_Jack514]

@notransitory1 I wouldn't even consider that cheese. It's more like a processed cheese product.

[@aznguy11111]

.. i'm asian and i get fat easily'

[@brisvegas859]

but France has the 2nd highest rate of cancer by countries in the world ???

[@brisvegas859]

and alcohol is heavily linked with cancer... so the French paradox is not taking this into consideration.

[@adsdownie8163]

Happy Healthy Vegan

[@kotapaka]

That's bullshit. You can't generalize this for a nation let alone a whole continent. And yes I've seen very very fat asians. Actually chinese associate being fat with prosperity. The only reason a lot of asians are thin is because they eat very very little (because of poverty and overpopulation). A normal european eats 3000kcals a day compared to the 1200kcals a day for an asian (but again that's too general). Actually scientist proved that asians on western diets become too fat.

[@Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana]

A splendid video! It would be nice to see an update with research from the latest studies. Eating fat does not make you fat, eating sugar makes you fat. Americans keep clinging to the low fat myth, and they keep getting fatter every year. I like the easy going, enjoy life, French lifesytle! The French definitely know how to live the good life!

[@lazur1]

Fruitarians have problems, but are never overweight. Whoever says you can't get fat on cheese is lying.

[@RunSofrieRun]

Now im confused,in the video it says nit to snack but ive heard people say to sncak regularly to keep your metabolism going.

[@jivenesspie]

Maybe their 35 hour work week has something to do with it. When work more and constantly stressed, I get fat. When I'm not working and relaxed, skinny.

[@Nicoranta]

Il faut de la culture pour cela, quand-meme:) Les Americains sont pour l'argent, mais sans plaisirs en toute leur santé la vie ne vaut rien!

[@loor31]

plus in France what is important is that what we eat daily is not quiche lorraine or rich meals but more like a Mediterranean-style diet, with loads of fruits and veggies , fish, and healthy fats from olive oil. Of course the traditional cooking (like things that take hours to prepare and cook) might be full of cheese and cream, but that is not what we eat everyday!

[@awesomelife3710]

Sadly, the French Paradox was debunked by the World Health Organization. Turns out French physicians underreport deaths from cardiovascular disease by as much as 20%, compared to other countries’ physicians. For more information, you can view the report by Dr. Greger here on KZbin, titled: What Explains The French Paradox, with citations.

[@childofgodgoddess8418]

Awesome Life as in Michael Gregor, the vegan guy?! Sorry, but veganism is NOT for everyone...

[@HammerheadGuitar]

Dr. Quacker is a joke.

[@thedoc5848]

Dr Greger and the WHO lol. At the end of the day, the French have a life expectancy of 82, one of the best in the world, that's the best indicator of good health

[@ashleysoulful]

I've been to France many times and the women on the street was often slim whereas in Canada we have a quite strong obesity rate, I think it's because Canadian love to copy American way of life, and love eat in mcdo.

[@xyg6543]

When I lived in France I gained weight because of all the nice cakes at the local patisserie :-( lol

[@olskverishears2562]

Lol. Yeah I guess it really just depends on the balance. If you maybe ate those cakes alongside a wider variety of foods it might have been less weight gain.

[@sherlockinaforever]

@Bid4Jesus : you are doing right. To eat must be a pleasure, not just filling the stomach. In my yourth (i'm 49) we had cooking lessons at school. Boys and girls were aware of food, they did know how to cook properly meat, fish, vegetables, rices or pasta. I cook every day fresh food and I still enjoy it a lot. But young people just stare at me and say : "What ? No McDo ? No pizza ? What the hell do you eat ?". It's sad, isn't it ?

[@Ellemphriem]

As said on top comment.....there is nothing strange. The quantities are 1/10th of an average American

[@Rezo54]

We also have a great health care system, You give a little bit of money each month which is taken on your salary and in exchange you can go to the dentist, the doctor, at the hospital for free. People who have money pay for the ones who can't afford that. That is for sure why we live longer! And for the obesity, I'll use an example: In America, your smallest Mc Donald menu is the biggest here AND it's expensive. Eating fast food isn't as cheap has in america

[@ShaxAMV]

Nothing wrong with eating fat guys, keep everything in moderation and enjoy the fruits of life. Don't complicate things, stay away from things that are highly processed and sugar enriched. But fat is completely fine.

[@ShaxAMV]

@Verrie77 Canadians aren't that fat compared to the rest because they speak French there, LOL.

[@misstekhead]

The “French Paradox” was coined in the early 1990s. A lot of people jumped on the bandwagon, writing books, and doing their best to profit off the fad. A French friend of mine told me it’s a load of nonsense. She said the French diet all the time- in particular women. They struggle with weight and the expectation of staying thin just as we do in English speaking countries.

[@steelcathedrals2112]

“They [the French] are annoyingly thin. If you go to France and see an obese person, it’s probably an American on vacation” a quote from Dr David Diamond - Demonisation and Deception in Cholesterol Research

[@DragonFly122]

Hell, butter is better for you than margarine.

[@earthpet]

It turns out you were incorrect. It was explained in that article "Obesity: My Unexpected Final Conclusion". The difference turned out to be surprising.

[@TheTripstraps]

if they drink for lunch, how then they can drive car later?