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The article is saying that life expectancy is still improving in Europe, but it's improving at a slower pace than it used to improve in the past. In the United

The article is saying that life expectancy is still improving in Europe, but it's improving at a slower pace than it used to improve in the past. In the United States, life expectancy started diverging from Western Europe in the early 90s and has had zero improvement in the last 15 years while Western Europe has continued to slowly improve. The pandemic hit US life expectancy figures incredibly hard due to the very high levels of excess death compared to Western Europe, but presumably there might be a 'bounceback' due to natural selection of the aged population with the strongest immune systems and fewest comorbidities. I've heard a lot of Americans comment on putting on a lot of weight while travelling in Europe. I can only imagine that Americans would be more accustomed to eating out for more of their meals. When cooking at home, I found the French to have a good sense of portion sizing and a cultural aversion to overeating; the sensation of being completely full was often described with a sense of discomfort and disgust. Whereas in Anglo cultures, being completely full is treated more positively.

tayo42 2y ago
Other countries I didn't feel like I had a weight issue. Specifically italy, it was lots of bread and pasta, slow cooked fatty meats, deep fried dishes, and sweet pastries.
- ElFitz 2y ago
  Yes. But it’s hard to beat processed food.
- toyg 2y ago
  In restaurants, yes, we eat salty, fatty, overcaloric stuff - because that is celebration food, not everyday fare. At home, day in day out, we cook leaner, simpler stuff, and eat less. Also, Italians tend to live in urban centers, often walking or cycling rather than driving everywhere. I've been living in the UK for 20+ years, and every time I land back in Italy I suddenly feel obese, because people are so much thinner. After a few weeks of normal life there, I know why: I'm eating less, eating leaner, and moving more.

tayo42 2y ago

Other countries I didn't feel like I had a weight issue. Specifically italy, it was lots of bread and pasta, slow cooked fatty meats, deep fried dishes, and sweet pastries.

ElFitz 2y ago
Yes. But it’s hard to beat processed food.
toyg 2y ago
In restaurants, yes, we eat salty, fatty, overcaloric stuff - because that is celebration food, not everyday fare. At home, day in day out, we cook leaner, simpler stuff, and eat less. Also, Italians tend to live in urban centers, often walking or cycling rather than driving everywhere. I've been living in the UK for 20+ years, and every time I land back in Italy I suddenly feel obese, because people are so much thinner. After a few weeks of normal life there, I know why: I'm eating less, eating leaner, and moving more.