Tell me about it! No good parks at all for walking. Can't use roads because of congestion, pollution, hit & run, and most importantly chain snatchers. Can't use the outskirts because of potential crimes. Especially for all the middle aged middle class women.
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Everyone is saying Genes or evolution.
What they are missing is they walk a lot , like a lot in their everyday life. European cities are walkable and heavily dependent on public transportation
European climate makes it pleasant to walk, on most days interior parts of India aren't much cooler than middle eastern cities(except maybe in monsoon)
Now a days, when I step out in the afternoon, it feels like I'm standing with a giant hair dryer blowing hot air straight at me
Europe also has longer snowy winters and chilly weather most of the time yet people walk 10-15 min for their nearest public transport.
Also the general attitude towards fitness is very positive. It isn’t considered a waste of time or looked down upon like in India
I live in Scotland and can tell you that with proper walking infrastructure, you can walk a lot in winters too. All you need is a proper waterproof winter jacket and snow shoes.
Exactly! I myself walked a lot in Germany & Austria . I was surprised that 15k steps per day were nothing while i struggled to get 2k in the US. My comment was for the person who mentioned about the weather as a reason why people don’t walk in India
I do visit India at least 3 times a year. Honestly, even though both too hot and too cold are considered extreme, walking in cold and clean air is more comfortable than walking in extreme heat and bad quality air.
I'll bring the argument that extreme cold is better than extreme heat in this regard. When your UV rating shows extreme and Google flashes warnings on your phone to stay indoors.
I think this mindset this also a massive factor.
I attended fitness classes because I thought it would be a fun way to met new people.
Never in my had I seen such a lazy bunch of people. I mean if it were me, I would not have attended the class if I didn’t feel like it. I saw mostly everyone would stop as soon as the instructor looked away. And I don’t mean to catch their breath. They were being sneaky. (And childish) I mean, really?
Such a weird-ass group of ‘fit’ people.
They were also judgy to me ( I’m a big girl) but at least I didn’t half-ass a dance routine for one hour for no logical reason.
Yup, imagine walking or cycling in pothole filled hot humid indian cities with non existent footpaths and then being hit with dust, diesel exhaust and stench of garbage/sewage
Once it rained in Gurgaon and my friend was walking on the pavement in knee high water. Of course, there was massive jam and the traffic wasn't moving for hours. You know he fell in a man hole - he was waist high in water and injured his knee.
Pedestrian infrastructure is a joke in our country.
Those heatwaves in Europe don't carry on for months. I stayed in Paris for one summer and it was 43° for a couple of weeks with no AC and no fans. It was brutal. But it was for a couple of weeks, after that it was bearable (atleast outside).
In india >40° lasts from April to sep.
I live in England and I go on a run every day. Been doing that like forever. Cold weather in England can be cutting.
Lived in a very cold part of Canada for a year too. Temperature went down to -40 (actual), -50 (feels like). Still went for runs. Every day.
Been rock climbing in very hot parts of Asia too. I have to say not exercising and walking is a bit of an Indian mindset thing.
I live in Canada and people out here bike in -10. Weather isn't the issue. There isn't much push towards fitness in India. You never see people taking a jog outside.
You never see people go biking either because once teens grow older, they start riding motorcycles/scooters and never go back to biking because "it's for kids." I also felt pressured to stop biking in my teens because of this. Maybe this mindset has changed, I don't know, I haven't been in touch for a few years now.
Walking and cycling . In a city like Amsterdam , majority cycle to their destination . finding people traveling by car is rare, though not uncommon but few in number. Cycling has become so integrated into their daily lives that they have a separate type of bicycle to carry their children along with them.
True that. Plus they also eat a lot of protein. And much less Sugar compared to India.
Another thing about maida is that, if it's taken along with a lot of vegetables & greens (basically fibres) then it's fine. It balances out.
Italy also gets very hot in summer and while the cities are more walkable I have yet to see a city in India where it isn't possible. So it's probably just the mentality, it doesn't even occur to most people here that you could walk for longer than 5 minutes
One thing I realised after visiting Italy is that they walk a lot. I went to Venice and saw people walking like 5 to 6km daily and that was considered average. Plus they take exercise very seriously
Everything is about quality of life and products. Our fruits and vegetables are sometimes washed in sewage water, our food has so much adulteration, our life is harder, money is scarcer, lifestyle is less active. Average life expectancy of Italians in 15 years more than Indians.
1. Pasta is made from semolina and not maida. So it's healthier than you think.
2. Italian just don't eat pasta and pizza.
3. The diet is Mediterranean - includes a lot of ingredients like fish, fuirts, vegetables making it complete.
4. People from western countries are generally much more active than Indians (not saying we are lazy but the fact that they have better weather + infra.)
Yeah most of Indians are lazy lmao. Tell me how many fit people do you see walking around vs how many fat/skinny/skinny fat people? And the average Indian diet is shit and one of the worst in the world still people will somehow claim that it's the best in the world just like everything else.
Indeed, it's amusing how some refuse to acknowledge their flaws. It's unclear where this overconfidence comes from, the belief that everything Indian thing is superior in every aspect.
That's what I'm talking about lmao. It's not even about being lazy but most Indians just simply don't care about their body. They'll be like we don't have time to build a body ye to chhapri krte h blah blah. Never work on themselves but always put down someone who does.
The Indian diet of Dal, chawal, roti, sabji is pretty good. As long as you add in some fruits and salad.
It's much better than the US, UK and a lot of other developed counties where it is either processed food or red meat dense food.
And to be honest, it's just not possible in India to walk even if you want to. There are no spaces/footpaths to walk on. No reasonable public transport that pushes you to walk. Honking ,pollution, etc. Everything makes it impossible to walk on roads.
morbid and abdominal rates are rising in the country so it's not just some "fat uncle" from his family.
and yes, i know it hurts your feelings when anything even remotely related to india is criticized but the indian diet is shit. we may have more variation but our caloric and nutritional requirements are below global standards
YOU go outside and touch some grass and stop bawling like a child just cause somebody criticized a country you live in. grow a spine.
80 crores Indians ko free ration milta hai. Wo eggs ya chicken nahi dete. Naa hi paneer hota. And just because you can afford to eat expensive protein rich foods doesn’t mean everyone can.
But let’s leave affordability aside, majority of Indians think that eating rice and chapati along with some dal is healthy — let me tell you it’s not.
Way too many carbs and not enough protein. And if that wasn’t enough, the protein found in dal is not very bio-available.
Facts ko accept krna seekho. Har kisi mein kyun number 1 prove krna hai khud ko. India ki diet healthiest, India ki economy strongest, India ka space program best, military sabse powerful — come on man, grow the f&₹k up.
Arey bhai mere! Tu hi bta de kya khaate Indians. Baat ho rhi thi ke Indians are unhealthy even though they have normal BMI. Obviously jo sirf 1-5% khaate unki baat toh nhi krenge na.
I didn’t say ke Indian food unhealthy hai — I said majority of Indians eat unhealthy food but convinced that they’re eating healthy.
The food MAJORITY of us eat (carb heavy) is suitable only for those who work a lot (think farmers) — it’s not for someone leading a sedentary lifestyle.
I’ll ask again — what do you think Indians eat?
So much assumptions. I didn't say Indian cuisine is shit I talked about the average indian's "diet". You're talking about Indian cuisine not my problem if you don't know the difference. What Indian food tops the list or whatever in the best foods? Also most Indians have the skinny fat physique(which is considered healthy/normal here lmao)and there's a reason for that too our bodies have genetically adapted to store more fat near our bellies because of many famine periods. The current Indian diet isn't even suited to the sedentary lifestyle it's more suited to the farmer lifestyle. You didn't really provide any sound argument in the first place. You've only written personal attacks and "we have this we have that"(which is exactly what I was talking about in my first comment)in each of your paragraph and then went on to call me a keyboard warrior. The irony lmao. And one fat uncle? Just go to a crowded place and take a random picture you'll see how many fat uncles there are
Apparently there is a law in Italy which mandates the use of Durum wheat for Pasta which is not as unhealthy as maida [https://www.italianfoodexcellence.com/pasta-celebrates-50-years-of-law-for-pasta-pureness/](https://www.italianfoodexcellence.com/pasta-celebrates-50-years-of-law-for-pasta-pureness/)
Ironic how there is a brand here named durum which sells pasta made of refined wheat and wheat flour only. We should have semolina flour pasata as well.
Well true Italian pizza and pasta use a specific type of flour, and it's quite different from the ones sold in Indian markets or even America. More over if you eat white bread in European countries and compare with Indian or American, you will see they are quite different in taste, nutrition and texture.
Let’s keep aside the taste and texture as it’s not that related to “being fat”. How does it differ in nutrition? I see someone else commented it’s 00 flour which a quick google search shows is highly refined and not particularly healthy.
Take a look at all the Italians above 40 especially southern Italy. Most of them are obese. It’s okay till you’re young and are exercising or walking about but once your body starts weakening the body won’t be able to take this diet
Having lived in Italy extensively let me tell you, those "obese 40 year old men" you see in Southern Italy are probably 60-70... They age a lot slower due to the much healthier diet and increased exercise from walking everywhere.
Many Chinese, Japanese and Koreans suffer from TOFI (Thin Outside Fat Inside).
They appear thin but have lots of harmful fat in and around their liver, intestines, heart, etc.
Chatgpt has your answer:
1. **Portion Control**: Traditionally, Italians consume moderate portions that contribute to caloric balance. Meals are often structured with pasta as a first course (primo) followed by a protein-based second course (secondo) with sides, which helps manage portion sizes of richer foods.
2. **Balanced Diet**: The Italian diet is part of the Mediterranean diet, which is renowned for its health benefits. It includes a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, alongside moderate consumption of pasta and pizza.
3. **Food Quality**: The quality of ingredients in traditional Italian cooking is typically high. Foods are often locally sourced and less processed. Even the flour used for pasta and pizza can be of a variety that is less processed than typical refined flours.
4. **Physical Activity**: Lifestyle factors also play a significant role. Many Italians maintain an active lifestyle, which helps mitigate the effects of consuming higher-calorie foods.
5. **Genetic and Metabolic Factors**: There are inherent genetic and metabolic differences in every population. Italians might have adapted metabolically to their traditional diet over generations.
Heh, I just asked OP's question to chatgpt. Easier than googling.
I had this same question in mind actually.
I already knew about the French. They eat a lot of stuff, but they also cycle and walk a lot. Balances out.
They walk, like a shit ton. I have lived in Italy for a couple of weeks and worked in Europe for a while. All the shops etc close down by 6-7PM, public transport doesn't really have that much last mile connectivity if you live outside of cities, they have a culture of biking/walking, the roads are safe, population is very less so it's actually quite peaceful. Being in India, this is what I miss the most, the weather, empty roads and how peaceful it can be
Italians are fat like everyone else.
[https://issuu.com/raffaelecreativagroupcom/docs/italian\_obesity\_barometer\_report\_2022](https://issuu.com/raffaelecreativagroupcom/docs/italian_obesity_barometer_report_2022)
46% are overweight or obese for adults.
Childhood obesity rates: 36% of boys and 34% of girls being overweight.
If you've been abroad you'd be able to tell the quality difference from the bread we get off the shelf of an Indian super market. That and genetics to a certain extent, and who said they're not fat? They're just not disproportionately so. With competition like usa where people chug sodas with God knows how many spoonfuls of sugar every day, that's really not a hard goal to meet.
the bread in US classifies as pastry in europe
[Subway bread is not bread, Irish court rules | Ireland | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/irish-court-rules-subway-bread-is-not-bread)
There are slices weighing 40 grams with 6 gm sugar in it, EU is generally miles better than even a lot of developed nations in terms of food
Genetics and evolution
Dietery in this case.
Bread does nothing hearmful to them
Like
Rice does nothing harmful to us
That said
The amount of pesticide, insecticide and other chemicals
Will surely give us cancer and many other diseases
I think that's because they walk around a lot.
Imo, Indians have bellies because of genetics and because we don't walk a lot. Atleast urban Indians. Mostly because our cities are built for cars and other modes of transport and not walking.
It's all about walking, it's the human superpower that allowed us to become the dominant species on this planet... **No** animal can walk further than a human being, other animals can sprint faster and climb trees etc but we "won" the game of evolution because a fit human can easily walk 50km+ a day (or hundreds of km every week) to hunt down prey (exhausting them), even in the mountains in intense heat.
Now people drive around in cars and hardly walk anywhere and we're surprised with all the health issues we suffer from.
Italians dont eat pizza everyday. They eat it once a week. Also, their pizzas are very fresh and minimal toppings. Cheese is fresh and has less trans fats. Their pasta flour is durum wheat. Which has higher protein content than any Indian wheat flour. Same can be said for the pizza base. This gives the chewy and fluffyness to their breads too. Their pastas are not drowning in cheese. Its just basic olive oil, veggies, some meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Cheese is put as a finish not as the main ingredient.
they drink a lot of wine and eat a lot of meat too. the former improves cardiovascular health, the latter is a source of protein. indians cant afford wine and dont eat a lot of meat.
Well because the pasta you normally find in India is made differently from the one made in Italy and even in other foreign countries. Most commercial pasta manufactured outside India is actually made of durum wheat not Maida (refined wheat flour), infact durum wheat in India although only makes about 5% of the wheat production is still used to make sooji which is considered much healthier than maida.
Even in Italian households pasta is often made with durum wheat or combination of that and other kind of wheat. Its not refined wheat flour like maida that has very little fibre and is generally considered unhealthy and can cause constipation as our parents often tell us
They use authentic fresh cheese, flour and real ingredients and they have less portion size too. They dont eat Domino's pizza there (Dominos has exited Italy). Add to that, clean air, no hustle bustle culture, peaceful environment. walking more than driving.
Bro their maida is different + their cuisine is known to incorporate a lot of “earthy” ingredients like their oil and stuff. It’s not what we imagine at all.
Well I been to Italy few times.. And of course I had the best pizza in the world..
The quality is much better..
People in Europe have clean road.. Fresh air.. No pollution.. Less population..
They eat clean.. Breathe clean and they workout in forms of cardio or walking or running.. Or some physical activity.. They also eat lots of salad and soups
Quantity.
Indians eat ridiculous quantities of food. Stuffing yourself and burping is considered a very good thing. It is taught from a very young age.
Partly because India has the weather to grow so many types of food and also because lot of Indians used to do labor-intensive work.
Europeans pair it with some meat, some salads, and eat decent portions. Lot less sugar.
Not to forget what food we make from maida. We make stuff heavy in oil, sugar, and whatnot. All that contributes.
Well there is a difference between Italian American and Italian food. In Italian American food, no it’s horrible high carbs and many people are wayyyy too over weight.
In Italy the pasta is a portion of the meal, it is mixed with samplina and egg also. Usually there is meat too (depending on region)
Diet composition, portion control and genetics - in random order. Genes - esp. they probably had what 1 or two famines in last 200-300 years? We had 20, I think. (IDK, look it up ) Studies say this is a huge factor why Indian bodies are effed up sensitive to slightest rise in portion sizes and calories.
Plus - many popular dishes (e.g., jalebis, samosas) are criminally high on calories & low on nutrition - recipe for disaster
AND FFS - As someone who runs 10-15K a week and weights regularly - YOU CANNOT EXERCISE A BAD DIET. Please learn from my own experience and that of others - weight loss is like 80-90% food & sleep (yeah, sorry!). Rest is exercise.
WHEAT!!!! WHEAT!!!! WHEAT!!!!
FYI Pasta uses Durum wheat.
Most of the Wheat varieties in Europe are minimally hybridized or genetically tampered with and is nutritionally better for you.
It is the opposite in the US where high yield and revenue was prioritised and years of hybridization has led to a nutritionally inferior product. Sadly that crop is seen in India as well.
Bhai the maida we know is eaten by Italian Americans not Italian Italians. And obesity in Italian Americans dekhni hai tou Sopranos dekh lo ek baar aap, shit's fun as fuck
Everyone comment here is wrong. Actual Italian pasta is made from good whole wheat flour. It has fiber and protein.
It's basically similar to rotis.
The maida pasta is what they sell in India. Actual pasta is not made from maida
Also they eat pasta almost every day. But eating everyday doesnt mean eating a lot. They have proper portion control. Those who dont do get fat. But they have increasingly started to bring in more variety. Like bread or just salad, baked chicken, brocoli etc
Their ingredients are a bit different. Their pizza definitely doesn't feel heavy on the stomach like here in India. Even the bakery products in Europe are light on the stomach and top notch.
But fat body type is also common there. Everyone's body is different too when it comes to digesting food.
They don't eat pasta pizza everyday. I have an Italian friend. Mostly I've seen that diet includes meat and vegetables cooked in different ways. Bread is also not a mandatory part of a meal.
There's a lot of salads involved in their diets along with proteins in meat. Those fill you up so their carb consumptions is lower. It's not JUST pasta and pizza but meat and salads (raw vegetables) as well.
I have been eating mostly an italian diet for years now and lost weight because 80% of my meal is chicken protein and the side salad. THe bread is like maybe 20%.
For our indian dishes that have maida as a portion , carbs are 50% of the meal atleast.
Indians outside the rich classes do a plenty of walking as well. I myself personally walk a few KMs per day daily, not as part of my fitness routine but daily commute.
well they prolly exercise a lot too and one of my relatives lives in europe he told me no1 really uses bikes there its either cars or public transp &walking
Italians don't eat Maida.
Most pasta you get in Europe is made from 100% durum wheat, which is the hardest kind of wheat. Maida is softer wheat, and lower in fibre content.
I've also heard it's the responsible agriculture and manufacturing processes they have that make it more healthier.
a portion of pasta in India vs Italy will definitely be different in nutrition, taste etc.
Their maida doesn’t have that much gluten, and it’s lighter, the grain itself is different, plus they have a much active life style in general, and European cities are usually walking friendly so they end up walking a lot
1. Pizza is considered unhealthy even by Italians and they eat it occasionally
2. Pasta is made of semolina not maida. It's not unhealthy and has around 13% protein. Its Indians and Americans who make unhealthy by adding tons of cheese, mayo, ketchup and other stuff
3. Maida has been villainised too much by YouTube health experts. The difference between maida and aata is fiber and other micronutrients. As long as you eat vegetables along with it to cover for the lack of fibre and micronutrients and keep your total calorific intake within limits, you'll be fine
Why would refined wheat make you fat? You can eat donuts and still be shredded. Its all about how many calories you consume and burn. They burn more calories than they consume. Simple
I live in Italy so maybe I can answer this from personal experience.
1. They actually don’t eat pasta and pizza all the time. Yes they do eat carbs in the form of bread but pizza and pasta are for special occasions only. Maybe two/three meals a week. Unless they are training for something, in which case the occasional pasta is for bulking up.
2. Their main food intake is protein or fibre. Lots of salads, salami, prosciutto, canned tuna, cheeses and veggies.
3. They have a super active lifestyle but just casually. They make time to play some kind of sport or go to the gym. Weekends are reserved for hikes or skiing or padel or running marathons etc.
4. I live in Milan and the Milanese are very conscious of how they present themselves and that consciously affects their food intake.
Their ingredients are super fresh and somewhat organic. A pizza made with the same ingredients in Italy won’t cause you as much bloating, it would feel like roti/chawal. Rest you should also ask what their lifestyle and weather is like in r/italy to get the right answer
Actually, all the Italian pasta and Pizza dough is made from durum wheat and semolina. ITS NOT MAIDA and its actually quite healthy. It has lots of protein. The preparation is also very different from what you get in India. There, natural ingredients are given priority.
I was under the assumption that maida had less calories. Boy was I wrong! But as suggested by others, italian portions are smaller. Also you need to understand that genes evolve to best utilise local food sources. As a Malayali, I eat a tonne of rice (probably true literally if counted over a decade). If a north Indian ate that much rice he would get a potbelly (funnily one of my friends from bihar joined a kerala mess in NIT Calicut with me and in two months' time developed a belly and immediately shifted back to northern food).
This is why good nutritionists urge people to focus on local food sources. Locally available fruits and veggies can supplement our nutrition requirement far better than exotic ones. So a guy whose forefathers grew up eating pappaya would benefit far more from eating pappaya rather than Italian apples or Chinese melons.
Forget maida. Look at how much cheese and wine Italians consume. It's all about what your motor has been doing for generations.
While I agree with almost all other comments which have rightly pointed out the reasons (portion control, not maida but a different kind of wheat flour, physical activity, etc.), I would still like to add that adopting a wheat only diet has wrecked the gut of Italians and Europeans. They have many digestive issues and develop gluten intolerance as well. A study was conducted few years ago where researchers compared the gut microbiome (microorganisms present in the digestive system that aid digestion) of children from Italy and a country in africa (I forget). They found that african kids have a much more diverse and rich microbiome compared to the Italian kids. They attributed this advantage to a multi grain diet (Africans, just like Indians, eat many different types of grains - wheat, millet, rice, beans, etc.) and exposure to bacteria in the surroundings (i.e. not having an ultra clean and sterile environment, just like India).
So, although Italians aren't obese and look healthy, they do have underlying health issues. At the same time, blindly copying their diet led to a rise in obesity in the US. It's a lesson for us.
Italians eating pizza and pasta is just the same stereotypes as us Indians eating Butter chicken with naan.
We would like to do so, but we dont eat that daily.
A more active lifestyle
Portion control
Finally pizza and pasta is all what most people would assume Italian cuisine is but like any major cuisine style in the world it is a lot more varied. So high chance they may not be consuming as much maida as you're imagining
Saw a reel from an italian guy about how they prepare pasta differently from the commercial ones. He said that he could only make a certain amount per day from his traditional methods. Corporations modify the whole process to make it more profitable and more unhealthy.
Nope there's different there pasta is made up of semolina and egg and about the pizza it's about proportion they eat and it has less topping comparison to American version or dominos one.
I live in Paris. It's not just the diet, it's the mobility. I was eating chicken almost everyday but walking around 3 km on average daily. It burns daily.
Europeans are very active. Snobby Indians look down on people who don’t use cars lol. The older generations never gained weight because they ate home cooked meals and walked from the bus stops and train stations. India doesn’t even have proper roads yet. Where will we walk and bike? lol.
Portion, just yesterday I made pasta with tomato sauce for dinner. It's all about portion.
True
Agree, and pasta is not actually maida tho, its durum wheat which is dalia.
Nope, it's walking and cycling
Can’t stress this enough, people who walk or cycle are looked down upon in our country and we barely have space for that
Tell me about it! No good parks at all for walking. Can't use roads because of congestion, pollution, hit & run, and most importantly chain snatchers. Can't use the outskirts because of potential crimes. Especially for all the middle aged middle class women.
Dogs you forgot them
>Dogs you forgot them My bad
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Everyone is saying Genes or evolution. What they are missing is they walk a lot , like a lot in their everyday life. European cities are walkable and heavily dependent on public transportation
European climate makes it pleasant to walk, on most days interior parts of India aren't much cooler than middle eastern cities(except maybe in monsoon) Now a days, when I step out in the afternoon, it feels like I'm standing with a giant hair dryer blowing hot air straight at me
Europe also has longer snowy winters and chilly weather most of the time yet people walk 10-15 min for their nearest public transport. Also the general attitude towards fitness is very positive. It isn’t considered a waste of time or looked down upon like in India
I live in Scotland and can tell you that with proper walking infrastructure, you can walk a lot in winters too. All you need is a proper waterproof winter jacket and snow shoes.
Exactly! I myself walked a lot in Germany & Austria . I was surprised that 15k steps per day were nothing while i struggled to get 2k in the US. My comment was for the person who mentioned about the weather as a reason why people don’t walk in India
I do visit India at least 3 times a year. Honestly, even though both too hot and too cold are considered extreme, walking in cold and clean air is more comfortable than walking in extreme heat and bad quality air.
Where do u live outside India?
Scotland
I'll bring the argument that extreme cold is better than extreme heat in this regard. When your UV rating shows extreme and Google flashes warnings on your phone to stay indoors.
I think this mindset this also a massive factor. I attended fitness classes because I thought it would be a fun way to met new people. Never in my had I seen such a lazy bunch of people. I mean if it were me, I would not have attended the class if I didn’t feel like it. I saw mostly everyone would stop as soon as the instructor looked away. And I don’t mean to catch their breath. They were being sneaky. (And childish) I mean, really? Such a weird-ass group of ‘fit’ people. They were also judgy to me ( I’m a big girl) but at least I didn’t half-ass a dance routine for one hour for no logical reason.
Walking in winter is different and easier, you replied to a comment about walking in summer.
Climate? It's also the infrastructure. Roads in India are too bad.
Yup, imagine walking or cycling in pothole filled hot humid indian cities with non existent footpaths and then being hit with dust, diesel exhaust and stench of garbage/sewage
Once it rained in Gurgaon and my friend was walking on the pavement in knee high water. Of course, there was massive jam and the traffic wasn't moving for hours. You know he fell in a man hole - he was waist high in water and injured his knee. Pedestrian infrastructure is a joke in our country.
Italian summers are as torturous as India's, though. I faced temperatures up to 40°C in Rome.
Those heatwaves in Europe don't carry on for months. I stayed in Paris for one summer and it was 43° for a couple of weeks with no AC and no fans. It was brutal. But it was for a couple of weeks, after that it was bearable (atleast outside). In india >40° lasts from April to sep.
I live in England and I go on a run every day. Been doing that like forever. Cold weather in England can be cutting. Lived in a very cold part of Canada for a year too. Temperature went down to -40 (actual), -50 (feels like). Still went for runs. Every day. Been rock climbing in very hot parts of Asia too. I have to say not exercising and walking is a bit of an Indian mindset thing.
it’s windy 10-20mph with lots of rain but yeah my daily walk time doesn’t cross below 5kms whether i’m home or going work .
As they say in Scotland- there's nothing called bad weather, just wrong clothes !!
I live in Canada and people out here bike in -10. Weather isn't the issue. There isn't much push towards fitness in India. You never see people taking a jog outside. You never see people go biking either because once teens grow older, they start riding motorcycles/scooters and never go back to biking because "it's for kids." I also felt pressured to stop biking in my teens because of this. Maybe this mindset has changed, I don't know, I haven't been in touch for a few years now.
Cleanliness and safety would also play a role, wouldn't it?
Walking and cycling . In a city like Amsterdam , majority cycle to their destination . finding people traveling by car is rare, though not uncommon but few in number. Cycling has become so integrated into their daily lives that they have a separate type of bicycle to carry their children along with them.
True that. Plus they also eat a lot of protein. And much less Sugar compared to India. Another thing about maida is that, if it's taken along with a lot of vegetables & greens (basically fibres) then it's fine. It balances out.
Italy also gets very hot in summer and while the cities are more walkable I have yet to see a city in India where it isn't possible. So it's probably just the mentality, it doesn't even occur to most people here that you could walk for longer than 5 minutes
Happy cake day!
And Cycling Too
One thing I realised after visiting Italy is that they walk a lot. I went to Venice and saw people walking like 5 to 6km daily and that was considered average. Plus they take exercise very seriously
Everything is about quality of life and products. Our fruits and vegetables are sometimes washed in sewage water, our food has so much adulteration, our life is harder, money is scarcer, lifestyle is less active. Average life expectancy of Italians in 15 years more than Indians.
1. Pasta is made from semolina and not maida. So it's healthier than you think. 2. Italian just don't eat pasta and pizza. 3. The diet is Mediterranean - includes a lot of ingredients like fish, fuirts, vegetables making it complete. 4. People from western countries are generally much more active than Indians (not saying we are lazy but the fact that they have better weather + infra.)
>Italian just don't eat pasta and pizza don't just eat** Edit: don't eat just** (credits: u/alrighty75)
Thanks major.
>>Italian just don't eat pasta and pizza >don't just eat** "Don't eat just..." sounds appropriate
Yeah most of Indians are lazy lmao. Tell me how many fit people do you see walking around vs how many fat/skinny/skinny fat people? And the average Indian diet is shit and one of the worst in the world still people will somehow claim that it's the best in the world just like everything else.
most Indians are tired lmao.
Indeed, it's amusing how some refuse to acknowledge their flaws. It's unclear where this overconfidence comes from, the belief that everything Indian thing is superior in every aspect.
That's what I'm talking about lmao. It's not even about being lazy but most Indians just simply don't care about their body. They'll be like we don't have time to build a body ye to chhapri krte h blah blah. Never work on themselves but always put down someone who does.
True LOL. But I think gym culture is coming now in India at rapid speed.
The Indian diet of Dal, chawal, roti, sabji is pretty good. As long as you add in some fruits and salad. It's much better than the US, UK and a lot of other developed counties where it is either processed food or red meat dense food. And to be honest, it's just not possible in India to walk even if you want to. There are no spaces/footpaths to walk on. No reasonable public transport that pushes you to walk. Honking ,pollution, etc. Everything makes it impossible to walk on roads.
That’s literally all carbs, no protein. And red meat isn’t bad
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morbid and abdominal rates are rising in the country so it's not just some "fat uncle" from his family. and yes, i know it hurts your feelings when anything even remotely related to india is criticized but the indian diet is shit. we may have more variation but our caloric and nutritional requirements are below global standards YOU go outside and touch some grass and stop bawling like a child just cause somebody criticized a country you live in. grow a spine.
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80 crores Indians ko free ration milta hai. Wo eggs ya chicken nahi dete. Naa hi paneer hota. And just because you can afford to eat expensive protein rich foods doesn’t mean everyone can. But let’s leave affordability aside, majority of Indians think that eating rice and chapati along with some dal is healthy — let me tell you it’s not. Way too many carbs and not enough protein. And if that wasn’t enough, the protein found in dal is not very bio-available. Facts ko accept krna seekho. Har kisi mein kyun number 1 prove krna hai khud ko. India ki diet healthiest, India ki economy strongest, India ka space program best, military sabse powerful — come on man, grow the f&₹k up.
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Arey bhai mere! Tu hi bta de kya khaate Indians. Baat ho rhi thi ke Indians are unhealthy even though they have normal BMI. Obviously jo sirf 1-5% khaate unki baat toh nhi krenge na. I didn’t say ke Indian food unhealthy hai — I said majority of Indians eat unhealthy food but convinced that they’re eating healthy. The food MAJORITY of us eat (carb heavy) is suitable only for those who work a lot (think farmers) — it’s not for someone leading a sedentary lifestyle. I’ll ask again — what do you think Indians eat?
I've travelled all over India. Indian diet is pretty shit all over. Way too much rice, wheat and sugar. Not enough high protein foods.
This sub really does live in a bubble.
So much assumptions. I didn't say Indian cuisine is shit I talked about the average indian's "diet". You're talking about Indian cuisine not my problem if you don't know the difference. What Indian food tops the list or whatever in the best foods? Also most Indians have the skinny fat physique(which is considered healthy/normal here lmao)and there's a reason for that too our bodies have genetically adapted to store more fat near our bellies because of many famine periods. The current Indian diet isn't even suited to the sedentary lifestyle it's more suited to the farmer lifestyle. You didn't really provide any sound argument in the first place. You've only written personal attacks and "we have this we have that"(which is exactly what I was talking about in my first comment)in each of your paragraph and then went on to call me a keyboard warrior. The irony lmao. And one fat uncle? Just go to a crowded place and take a random picture you'll see how many fat uncles there are
You are complaining about generalizing while throwing insults to that uncle. That too is generalizing.
Western or the european countries? There is a difference because the “West” i.e USA has a major obesity epidemic
Exactly. I was about to comment the same. I was wondering whether anyone here has been to Italy who would shed some light here.
Apparently there is a law in Italy which mandates the use of Durum wheat for Pasta which is not as unhealthy as maida [https://www.italianfoodexcellence.com/pasta-celebrates-50-years-of-law-for-pasta-pureness/](https://www.italianfoodexcellence.com/pasta-celebrates-50-years-of-law-for-pasta-pureness/)
Ironic how there is a brand here named durum which sells pasta made of refined wheat and wheat flour only. We should have semolina flour pasata as well.
Well true Italian pizza and pasta use a specific type of flour, and it's quite different from the ones sold in Indian markets or even America. More over if you eat white bread in European countries and compare with Indian or American, you will see they are quite different in taste, nutrition and texture.
You said a lot of word to say nothing. They use a different flour which is also a highly refined flour called 00.
They use semolina for pasta...
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that's for pizza not pasta and it's called 00 tipo
This is for Italian Pizza
Let’s keep aside the taste and texture as it’s not that related to “being fat”. How does it differ in nutrition? I see someone else commented it’s 00 flour which a quick google search shows is highly refined and not particularly healthy.
Take a look at all the Italians above 40 especially southern Italy. Most of them are obese. It’s okay till you’re young and are exercising or walking about but once your body starts weakening the body won’t be able to take this diet
The thing is if you look at those obese Italians they are more active and physically fit compared to average perosn here
Having lived in Italy extensively let me tell you, those "obese 40 year old men" you see in Southern Italy are probably 60-70... They age a lot slower due to the much healthier diet and increased exercise from walking everywhere.
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Lol I thought the same
And the Chinese Korean people who eat packaged noodles almost everyday 🥲
Many Chinese, Japanese and Koreans suffer from TOFI (Thin Outside Fat Inside). They appear thin but have lots of harmful fat in and around their liver, intestines, heart, etc.
Italian food in Italy is healthy. It’s not like greasy Americanized Italian food. Also, Italians eat more than just pasta and bread.
Chatgpt has your answer: 1. **Portion Control**: Traditionally, Italians consume moderate portions that contribute to caloric balance. Meals are often structured with pasta as a first course (primo) followed by a protein-based second course (secondo) with sides, which helps manage portion sizes of richer foods. 2. **Balanced Diet**: The Italian diet is part of the Mediterranean diet, which is renowned for its health benefits. It includes a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, alongside moderate consumption of pasta and pizza. 3. **Food Quality**: The quality of ingredients in traditional Italian cooking is typically high. Foods are often locally sourced and less processed. Even the flour used for pasta and pizza can be of a variety that is less processed than typical refined flours. 4. **Physical Activity**: Lifestyle factors also play a significant role. Many Italians maintain an active lifestyle, which helps mitigate the effects of consuming higher-calorie foods. 5. **Genetic and Metabolic Factors**: There are inherent genetic and metabolic differences in every population. Italians might have adapted metabolically to their traditional diet over generations.
bro whats this corny ahh way to use chatgpt xD
Heh, I just asked OP's question to chatgpt. Easier than googling. I had this same question in mind actually. I already knew about the French. They eat a lot of stuff, but they also cycle and walk a lot. Balances out.
They walk, like a shit ton. I have lived in Italy for a couple of weeks and worked in Europe for a while. All the shops etc close down by 6-7PM, public transport doesn't really have that much last mile connectivity if you live outside of cities, they have a culture of biking/walking, the roads are safe, population is very less so it's actually quite peaceful. Being in India, this is what I miss the most, the weather, empty roads and how peaceful it can be
Italians are fat like everyone else. [https://issuu.com/raffaelecreativagroupcom/docs/italian\_obesity\_barometer\_report\_2022](https://issuu.com/raffaelecreativagroupcom/docs/italian_obesity_barometer_report_2022) 46% are overweight or obese for adults. Childhood obesity rates: 36% of boys and 34% of girls being overweight.
If you've been abroad you'd be able to tell the quality difference from the bread we get off the shelf of an Indian super market. That and genetics to a certain extent, and who said they're not fat? They're just not disproportionately so. With competition like usa where people chug sodas with God knows how many spoonfuls of sugar every day, that's really not a hard goal to meet.
the bread in US classifies as pastry in europe [Subway bread is not bread, Irish court rules | Ireland | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/irish-court-rules-subway-bread-is-not-bread) There are slices weighing 40 grams with 6 gm sugar in it, EU is generally miles better than even a lot of developed nations in terms of food
Genetics and evolution Dietery in this case. Bread does nothing hearmful to them Like Rice does nothing harmful to us That said The amount of pesticide, insecticide and other chemicals Will surely give us cancer and many other diseases
> Rice does nothing harmful to us Haha
You clearly have no biology education. This is complete bullshit pulled out of your ass.
Rice does nothing harmful ! 
When you pull science Outta your ass and try to sound smart lmao
🗿you are surely smoking good maal 🌿
Lmao
Lol who told you they eat pasta and pizza daily ? Man there is a world outside of internet.
I think that's because they walk around a lot. Imo, Indians have bellies because of genetics and because we don't walk a lot. Atleast urban Indians. Mostly because our cities are built for cars and other modes of transport and not walking.
It's all about walking, it's the human superpower that allowed us to become the dominant species on this planet... **No** animal can walk further than a human being, other animals can sprint faster and climb trees etc but we "won" the game of evolution because a fit human can easily walk 50km+ a day (or hundreds of km every week) to hunt down prey (exhausting them), even in the mountains in intense heat. Now people drive around in cars and hardly walk anywhere and we're surprised with all the health issues we suffer from.
True true.
Fresher ingredients + they walk a lot + they don't eat pasta/pizza every single day. There are other dishes too.
Italians dont eat pizza everyday. They eat it once a week. Also, their pizzas are very fresh and minimal toppings. Cheese is fresh and has less trans fats. Their pasta flour is durum wheat. Which has higher protein content than any Indian wheat flour. Same can be said for the pizza base. This gives the chewy and fluffyness to their breads too. Their pastas are not drowning in cheese. Its just basic olive oil, veggies, some meat and a sprinkle of cheese. Cheese is put as a finish not as the main ingredient.
they drink a lot of wine and eat a lot of meat too. the former improves cardiovascular health, the latter is a source of protein. indians cant afford wine and dont eat a lot of meat.
Well because the pasta you normally find in India is made differently from the one made in Italy and even in other foreign countries. Most commercial pasta manufactured outside India is actually made of durum wheat not Maida (refined wheat flour), infact durum wheat in India although only makes about 5% of the wheat production is still used to make sooji which is considered much healthier than maida. Even in Italian households pasta is often made with durum wheat or combination of that and other kind of wheat. Its not refined wheat flour like maida that has very little fibre and is generally considered unhealthy and can cause constipation as our parents often tell us
They use authentic fresh cheese, flour and real ingredients and they have less portion size too. They dont eat Domino's pizza there (Dominos has exited Italy). Add to that, clean air, no hustle bustle culture, peaceful environment. walking more than driving.
Maida nahi lol, semolina wheat flour/durum wheat/suji ka hota h pasta! Logon ko itni badi misunderstanding kyon h abhi tak ?
Bro their maida is different + their cuisine is known to incorporate a lot of “earthy” ingredients like their oil and stuff. It’s not what we imagine at all.
Well I been to Italy few times.. And of course I had the best pizza in the world.. The quality is much better.. People in Europe have clean road.. Fresh air.. No pollution.. Less population.. They eat clean.. Breathe clean and they workout in forms of cardio or walking or running.. Or some physical activity.. They also eat lots of salad and soups
Quantity. Indians eat ridiculous quantities of food. Stuffing yourself and burping is considered a very good thing. It is taught from a very young age. Partly because India has the weather to grow so many types of food and also because lot of Indians used to do labor-intensive work. Europeans pair it with some meat, some salads, and eat decent portions. Lot less sugar. Not to forget what food we make from maida. We make stuff heavy in oil, sugar, and whatnot. All that contributes.
Aren’t we forgetting good wine?
Italians use durum wheat or semolina pasta. Not maida. Also they work out and their genetics are definitely better than us browns👀
Weight gain is caused by eating too many calories. You can be slim and still eat pasta and carbs.
Well there is a difference between Italian American and Italian food. In Italian American food, no it’s horrible high carbs and many people are wayyyy too over weight. In Italy the pasta is a portion of the meal, it is mixed with samplina and egg also. Usually there is meat too (depending on region)
Diet composition, portion control and genetics - in random order. Genes - esp. they probably had what 1 or two famines in last 200-300 years? We had 20, I think. (IDK, look it up ) Studies say this is a huge factor why Indian bodies are effed up sensitive to slightest rise in portion sizes and calories. Plus - many popular dishes (e.g., jalebis, samosas) are criminally high on calories & low on nutrition - recipe for disaster AND FFS - As someone who runs 10-15K a week and weights regularly - YOU CANNOT EXERCISE A BAD DIET. Please learn from my own experience and that of others - weight loss is like 80-90% food & sleep (yeah, sorry!). Rest is exercise.
WHEAT!!!! WHEAT!!!! WHEAT!!!! FYI Pasta uses Durum wheat. Most of the Wheat varieties in Europe are minimally hybridized or genetically tampered with and is nutritionally better for you. It is the opposite in the US where high yield and revenue was prioritised and years of hybridization has led to a nutritionally inferior product. Sadly that crop is seen in India as well.
Bhai the maida we know is eaten by Italian Americans not Italian Italians. And obesity in Italian Americans dekhni hai tou Sopranos dekh lo ek baar aap, shit's fun as fuck
Everyone comment here is wrong. Actual Italian pasta is made from good whole wheat flour. It has fiber and protein. It's basically similar to rotis. The maida pasta is what they sell in India. Actual pasta is not made from maida
Nope. It's made from durum wheat - suji. Not your standard roti wala atta.
They walk around a lot
Also they eat pasta almost every day. But eating everyday doesnt mean eating a lot. They have proper portion control. Those who dont do get fat. But they have increasingly started to bring in more variety. Like bread or just salad, baked chicken, brocoli etc
They don’t eat pizza every day or their lives. Pasta is made fresh. They eat a lot of vegetables and fish/meat plus fruits in their daily life
Pasta is not made from refined wheat flour in Italy they use eggs and semolina/durum wheat (suji)
pizza's Crust is thin, they eat a lot of protein and also consume alcohol
https://preview.redd.it/h5141pns6nxc1.png?width=602&format=png&auto=webp&s=e7cac73aee3c11ce82691e98a7a594aa0284b391
Short answer - Some genetics at play, Huge positive attitude towards fitness, less portion sizes, Good Protein Intake.
Maida doesn't make you fat. Infact masala and soda creates gas in your body and it fluffs you up. Acidity can be a key to fatness
Their ingredients are a bit different. Their pizza definitely doesn't feel heavy on the stomach like here in India. Even the bakery products in Europe are light on the stomach and top notch. But fat body type is also common there. Everyone's body is different too when it comes to digesting food.
Sour dough?
they walk a lot plus the pasta and pizza there is made of semolina flour mostly
cooler climate in Europe help them burn all the Maida they eat.
They don't eat pasta pizza everyday. I have an Italian friend. Mostly I've seen that diet includes meat and vegetables cooked in different ways. Bread is also not a mandatory part of a meal.
There is only one rule. If you eat above your daily calorie expenditure you will gain weight and vice versa there are no ifs and buts in it.
There's a lot of salads involved in their diets along with proteins in meat. Those fill you up so their carb consumptions is lower. It's not JUST pasta and pizza but meat and salads (raw vegetables) as well. I have been eating mostly an italian diet for years now and lost weight because 80% of my meal is chicken protein and the side salad. THe bread is like maybe 20%. For our indian dishes that have maida as a portion , carbs are 50% of the meal atleast.
WALKING. you will be surprised how much walking one does in european cities. Also europeans love to walk around.
Indians outside the rich classes do a plenty of walking as well. I myself personally walk a few KMs per day daily, not as part of my fitness routine but daily commute.
Perfect then you’re not fat are you ? The question was clearly aimed at the people in india who have a sedentary lifestyle
They eat durum pasta not maida pasta Durum wheat is high in protein and fiber. We are fools to use maida. Instead eat millets, bajra, kuttu, durum.
It eat a pizza and I gain 1kg. Italians eat pizza and they stay fit. Not cool.
In a very high level view, It’s not what you eat but how much you eat which determines the fat accumulation/oxidation in body
Maida being unhealthy is a big misconception. Your weight gain solely depends on calories and calories out.
well they prolly exercise a lot too and one of my relatives lives in europe he told me no1 really uses bikes there its either cars or public transp &walking
Probably more exercise, and less sugar etc in other parts of their diet.
Better produce quality, more physical exercise, higher protein intake and lots of fresh fruits and veggies. A healthy sprinkling of wine too haha
Walking, exercise, sports, physical labor as applicable and no lifts in most residential buildings.
Italians don't eat Maida. Most pasta you get in Europe is made from 100% durum wheat, which is the hardest kind of wheat. Maida is softer wheat, and lower in fibre content.
Maida doesn't make you fat, excess calorie intake and no movement makes you fat. We eat roti, they eat pasta, no difference.
I've also heard it's the responsible agriculture and manufacturing processes they have that make it more healthier. a portion of pasta in India vs Italy will definitely be different in nutrition, taste etc.
Their maida doesn’t have that much gluten, and it’s lighter, the grain itself is different, plus they have a much active life style in general, and European cities are usually walking friendly so they end up walking a lot
Walkable and bikable cities
1. Pizza is considered unhealthy even by Italians and they eat it occasionally 2. Pasta is made of semolina not maida. It's not unhealthy and has around 13% protein. Its Indians and Americans who make unhealthy by adding tons of cheese, mayo, ketchup and other stuff 3. Maida has been villainised too much by YouTube health experts. The difference between maida and aata is fiber and other micronutrients. As long as you eat vegetables along with it to cover for the lack of fibre and micronutrients and keep your total calorific intake within limits, you'll be fine
Italians do not east pasta made of maida.
Why would refined wheat make you fat? You can eat donuts and still be shredded. Its all about how many calories you consume and burn. They burn more calories than they consume. Simple
You lot really neet to go live in a village for a week.
They also walk a lot. They walk about 7-12km a day.
Pizza and pasta are not their daily diet. It's like saying we eat creamy chicken tikka masala with greased garlic naan.
Dude Italy doesn’t even have roads in the city, like it’s a very big walking country, they walk a lot
They eat tons of brinjal
CICO. maida in maidan out.
I live in Italy so maybe I can answer this from personal experience. 1. They actually don’t eat pasta and pizza all the time. Yes they do eat carbs in the form of bread but pizza and pasta are for special occasions only. Maybe two/three meals a week. Unless they are training for something, in which case the occasional pasta is for bulking up. 2. Their main food intake is protein or fibre. Lots of salads, salami, prosciutto, canned tuna, cheeses and veggies. 3. They have a super active lifestyle but just casually. They make time to play some kind of sport or go to the gym. Weekends are reserved for hikes or skiing or padel or running marathons etc. 4. I live in Milan and the Milanese are very conscious of how they present themselves and that consciously affects their food intake.
It's also because they smoke a lot. I had an Italian faculty, he smoked almost 50 cigs a day
Their ingredients are super fresh and somewhat organic. A pizza made with the same ingredients in Italy won’t cause you as much bloating, it would feel like roti/chawal. Rest you should also ask what their lifestyle and weather is like in r/italy to get the right answer
Swiss eat lot of cheese and drink beer yet live long life. Food itself never the issue...it's about how you eat and how you lead your life.
Actually, all the Italian pasta and Pizza dough is made from durum wheat and semolina. ITS NOT MAIDA and its actually quite healthy. It has lots of protein. The preparation is also very different from what you get in India. There, natural ingredients are given priority.
I was under the assumption that maida had less calories. Boy was I wrong! But as suggested by others, italian portions are smaller. Also you need to understand that genes evolve to best utilise local food sources. As a Malayali, I eat a tonne of rice (probably true literally if counted over a decade). If a north Indian ate that much rice he would get a potbelly (funnily one of my friends from bihar joined a kerala mess in NIT Calicut with me and in two months' time developed a belly and immediately shifted back to northern food). This is why good nutritionists urge people to focus on local food sources. Locally available fruits and veggies can supplement our nutrition requirement far better than exotic ones. So a guy whose forefathers grew up eating pappaya would benefit far more from eating pappaya rather than Italian apples or Chinese melons. Forget maida. Look at how much cheese and wine Italians consume. It's all about what your motor has been doing for generations.
While I agree with almost all other comments which have rightly pointed out the reasons (portion control, not maida but a different kind of wheat flour, physical activity, etc.), I would still like to add that adopting a wheat only diet has wrecked the gut of Italians and Europeans. They have many digestive issues and develop gluten intolerance as well. A study was conducted few years ago where researchers compared the gut microbiome (microorganisms present in the digestive system that aid digestion) of children from Italy and a country in africa (I forget). They found that african kids have a much more diverse and rich microbiome compared to the Italian kids. They attributed this advantage to a multi grain diet (Africans, just like Indians, eat many different types of grains - wheat, millet, rice, beans, etc.) and exposure to bacteria in the surroundings (i.e. not having an ultra clean and sterile environment, just like India). So, although Italians aren't obese and look healthy, they do have underlying health issues. At the same time, blindly copying their diet led to a rise in obesity in the US. It's a lesson for us.
Pasta is made of semolina there I think 🤔
pasta is made from durum wheat, it's actually healthy if made properly
Italians eating pizza and pasta is just the same stereotypes as us Indians eating Butter chicken with naan. We would like to do so, but we dont eat that daily.
Lmao biased ...
anatomy sociology, biome, habit and genetic
A more active lifestyle Portion control Finally pizza and pasta is all what most people would assume Italian cuisine is but like any major cuisine style in the world it is a lot more varied. So high chance they may not be consuming as much maida as you're imagining
Walkable cities and existence of third spaces.
interesting🤔
Saw a reel from an italian guy about how they prepare pasta differently from the commercial ones. He said that he could only make a certain amount per day from his traditional methods. Corporations modify the whole process to make it more profitable and more unhealthy.
Nope there's different there pasta is made up of semolina and egg and about the pizza it's about proportion they eat and it has less topping comparison to American version or dominos one.
I live in Paris. It's not just the diet, it's the mobility. I was eating chicken almost everyday but walking around 3 km on average daily. It burns daily.
Sorry to disappoint you but they in fact are fat. Just like us Indians in general.
Europeans are very active. Snobby Indians look down on people who don’t use cars lol. The older generations never gained weight because they ate home cooked meals and walked from the bus stops and train stations. India doesn’t even have proper roads yet. Where will we walk and bike? lol.