Are French women really that thin?

[ownedbymydog]

Inspired by a thread running on AIBU at the moment on the importance (or not) of calorie counting I went down a bit of an internet dieting rabbit hole (an occasional hobby) and kept coming across people telling me how thin French women are. I immediately bought two books, ‘French women don’t get fat’ (which seems a bit dated) and ‘Parisian Slim’ (which was too short) and I have two questions for you.

1. Honestly, ARE French women really that thin? (Sorry if this has been done before).
2. Can anyone recommend any other books on this topic as I’ve got a week off, the rain is obviously never going to end, and I need to read something silly…but which may inspire me to eat less chips healthily!🤭

Certainly not in the city centre. You would see a lot more cheap and 'ethnic' fast food outlets in the banlieue, where there is also a lot more poverty. It is not what most people think of when they think of Paris.

Binge drinking is definitely a thing in France!! Not obviously to all demographics, but very similar to Britain in that respect. When I used to go out, all my French friends would joke about their own stereotypes of being heavy drinkers and smokers.

@Revelatio The smoking! That is something that never really gets a mention in what I’ve read.

Some French women smoke to stay thin, so they tell me.

Strangely (or sadly?), back when I smoked I never really noticed any appetite suppressing effects

They are traditionally much better cooks than the British and had a real culture of good food which in itself leads to healthy body weights as they were slower to go down the processed food / ultra processed road. But I think this has changed in the last two decades and especially with French women now working full time there is less time for markets and home cooking.

@Sparklfairy me too!

I was definitely not slimmer while I was there. I only have to look at France to put half a stone on. All the three course lunches, bread, cheese and cheap wine, plus lovely bakeries - I put half a stone on there in a few months as a student until I started running and going to the gym.

I live in France (South) and still have strong ties to the UK. Yes, I think in general French women (and men) are slimmer in France. Doesn't mean everyone is stick thin, not by any means, but I don't often see people I would class as "obese" over here, whereas in the UK I do.

It's also not genetics, I'm an English woman who has lived in France my whole life and I'm a size 8. I think it's down to how food is viewed in general, most of the meals consumed are made from scratch with seasonal products (including in restaurants), snacking isn't as much of a thing over here (still exists but I wouldn't say it's as common) and portions are definitely smaller. There's not as much "eating on the go" and the days I need a pre-made sandwich from the supermarket are a nightmare because the options suck, you're far better off making your own, which is automatically less processed.

With exercise, I think it's all about walking, personally. It's good weather here a lot of the time, so it's easier to go for a walk, or walk to the shop etc whereas the bad weather in the UK puts people off.

Overall, I think it's just a slightly healthier way of living that's the norm and that translates to people being slimmer in general. Also, it's so fucking hot in summer that everyone I know practically "melts" during July/August, so that helps!!

Edited to add: I'm not in a city, I'm in the countryside/coast.

My son’s mother in law is over weight .

France every bit has the same problems with alcoholism and drink related health problems as the UK, if not worse. They just don't tend to have the public order related falling out of pubs and fighting so much as the UK.

I’d happily live on baguettes and pain aux chocolat… sadly I don’t think that’ll make me slim.

when I au paired in the south of France 30 years ago, 5ft 6 and 9 stone, I felt enormous!! The local women were no more than 7-8 stone at a guess

French older relatives would be obese, do spend 3 hours prepping each meal and eating it and consequently can spend most of day either shopping for food, prepping or eating. Drink lots of wine, maybe a bottle each a day. Don't smoke. Food is lots of fresh fish, meats, veg, potatoes, healthy though always meat or fish with.

Ones in 50s a lot are smokers, many work, meals tend to be quicker and less fresh ingredients. More are thin than in UK, about half would say would be normal BMI and rest overweight but not obese. Lots of drinking but social dinner party type drinking and lots of pressure to drink even when pregnant. Smoking makes them age quicker. Not come across social pressure to look perfect but one didn't have children so didn't ruin figure which never heard of here.

Pain au chocolat, croissants, baguettes, patisseries, macarons- if I lived in France I would be house sized!

@MademoiselleFrenglish yes, I’ve seen walking talked about a lot.

I think school lunches there are much healthier, so it starts young and good habits are formed.

I have been here a long time. I would agree that there is a range but in general, there are fewer obese adults. And obese dc are rarer ( going from my own dcs classmates and my own pupils). That could be skewered. People eat very well - lunch is a big deal and when I produce my sandwich at lunchtime, if I have not organized my lunch, I get pitying looks. A lot of my friends don’t drink any alcohol and a fair few have commented on drinking white wine without food as being so British.😂
I don’t know anyone who smokes.

Yep, my school lunches were great and we were properly educated on what we were eating, why we were eating it and what it did for our health. Sandwiches and the like weren't considered a meal and were to be avoided. Even packed lunches for school outings weren't usually sandwiches and a packet of crisps, although they'll never beat that out of me as I love a good sandwich and packet of crisps 😁

This has stats on alcohol and says alcohol consumption is higher than UK in France which in my experience is correct but it's much more wine with a meal, dinner party and party drinking.

https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/alcohol-consumption-per-capita/country-comparison/

Statistically I think their rates of overweight and obese are a bit lower than the UK but it has changed quite rapidly. I studied at a French university in the 90s. I was a size 8-10 and felt like a heffalump. The women were stock thin, all of them. I worked quite a bit in Paris in the Noughties and still felt the women were very thin. However, in recent years not so much. I go over for work from time to time and the difference in size is no longer noticeable.

And percentage of population smoking 34% in France compared to 14% in UK

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/smoking-rates-by-country

There are overweight people in France- less than there are in the UK but yes, they exist.

It’s a bit like the myth about French women all being chic and stylish. You see a lot of stylish people in Paris, as you do in London, but I can assure you, having spent a lot of time in small villages in the Alps, there are plenty of French women wearing fleeces and comfy trousers, no make up and just generally looking comfortable but frumpy (which is my own personal ‘style’ so I’m certainly not judging).

Not unless you're in affluent parts of Paris. French people are a bit thinner than Brits but catching up with obesity issues. Huge generalisation but they do tend to be better dressed (clothes fit properly etc) and less 'fake' (I would see a lot less obvious hair dye/fake lashes/nails for example) which makes a difference. Like you probably wouldn't see an overweight fake-tanned girl poured into tight leggings and a crop top with long hair extensions and lashes, like you probably would in the UK.

@Penguinsa that is a huge difference!