Are we all 'skinny challenged' compared to the world?

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Also, a few people mentioned lack of walkable infrastructure in the US and that was actually my first thought. Living in Germany, I walked everywhere. If I wasn't walking, I rode a bike that I rented from the university. Many of my professors at the time told me that none of them owned a car (mainly due to no public parking in the city and cost of petrol) but instead they rode their bikes to work. I would LOVE to do that in the US but the closest store is an hour walk and you'd have to risk getting hit by a car due to no sidewalks.

Exactly, I dont drive and have never owned a car. In London the Government actively discourage car usage in the city and have recently extended the congestion charge zone.

In America, the car dependency is far greater, for the reasons you have outlined. This means that its more automatic to drive than to walk, even if the distance and infrastructure for safe walking is available.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Exactly. How wonderful that people of all sizes are able to enjoy a nice vacation here in America. Too bad we all can't do it without the judgement of the foreigners and instead we are like loose zoo animals roaming around amongst them to their horror.

Ohhhhh Look! Fat people EVERYWHERE! They even give them wheels here to get about!

I have a sister who is excellent at laughing at her weight and by now she is definitely obese. She’s my older and don’t tell the others favorite sibling. We can finish each other’s sentence, laugh at the same things, always get each others jokes and still know when to be serious. I don’t want to lose her to this mental illness and hope she finds her way out of it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

While I get the impression an American needs a car to get to the next street.

One thing in Europe are there are less considerations towards those with disabilities. Yes I've seen where they may get a discount here and there but as far as mobility that is not the same. In the U.S. we have ADA which helps on many building built after a time to consider people in that area. And no that's not about size of the person.

One other thing I noticed is when we were in Venice my husband and I would walk to the next bridge to get to a place so long as it made sense (as in there was a bridge) but I noticed what appeared to be locals who would hop on the boats to go one stop but across the water. Kinda seemed easy to just walk but they didn't, many appeared to use the boats to go just one maybe two stops. But something that hones in on my first point there wasn't a single elderly or disabled person on a boat and even someone with very mild mobility issues would have a problem since they don't stop but a few seconds. Of course Venice is Venice but it left with the idea what do the elderly do there? Just stay put? Because their way of life would be vastly different here in the U.S. for entirely different reasons.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Exactly, I dont drive and have never owned a car. In London the Government actively discourage car usage in the city and have recently extended the congestion charge zone.

In America, the car dependency is far greater, for the reasons you have outlined. This means that its more automatic to drive than to walk, even if the distance and infrastructure for safe walking is available.

No. That is not at all how it is over here.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well i'd kindly never invite them back for their sterotypical, judgemental comments. There are overweight people all over the world. They need to look beyond the surface.

That was my first reaction. Isn't this what people find rude about Americans? By which going to another country and judging? Guess we don't have the corner on that one

 

[GoingSince1990]

Fat shaming is one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination.

View attachment 817474

If we substitute “fat” for things like race and gender, it would not be as acceptable as it seems to be here.

Food for thought.

In my experience “skinny shaming” seems to be much more socially acceptable these days than “fat shaming”. As a naturally thin person who actually tries to work to keep weight on (with protein shakes etc.) many people seem to think it’s absolutely fine to tell me to my face that I’m looking “too skinny”, “gaunt”, etc., while I would never think of responding by saying something like “well you’re looking kind of chubby” because that would feel unpardonably rude. When I mentioned this observation to my doctor he agreed and said that over the years, as people’s average weights have increased, what used to be considered normal many now see as “too skinny”.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

One thing in Europe are there are less considerations towards those with disabilities. Yes I've seen where they may get a discount here and there but as far as mobility that is not the same. In the U.S. we have ADA which helps on many building built after a time to consider people in that area. And no that's not about size of the person.

Actaully in Europe we do have similar
In Ireland we have National Disability Authority
Article 26 (Title 3: Equality) is entitled ‘Integration of Persons with Disabilities’ and states that 'The Union recognises and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community.

However, we have buildings, towns, cities etc which date back thousands of years. Dublin is officially recognized as being founded by The Vikings in the 800's, so many places in our modern country were built long before Disability Legislation.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Exactly, I dont drive and have never owned a car. In London the Government actively discourage car usage in the city and have recently extended the congestion charge zone.

In America, the car dependency is far greater, for the reasons you have outlined. This means that its more automatic to drive than to walk, even if the distance and infrastructure for safe walking is available.

If there was a choice, I would absolutely walk but nothing is within walking distance from where I live and no sidewalks. The high school is about 25 minutes walk from where I am so kids in my neighborhood have to walk on the side of the road to get there and back.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

when you watch the videos and actually see a real time comparison of the exact same food from the same company, its astounding the difference in ingredients.

In Europe there are a lot of American import companies. There is an American import shop local to me. They can't import some USA food items due to EU Food standard laws.

My DH sells his American-made food to European countries and, well, all over the world, having passed all the ongoing standards for that, as well as American standards. Our state’s DPH and the federal FDA can, and do, drop in for inspections at any time. They were there recently. His facilities, ingredients and methods pass every time because he oversees everything very well, as many other companies do.

Not every American company can’t overcome European food laws. The process is extremely expensive and smaller companies may have a hard time affording testing. You make it sound like it’s because it’s crap, and that may not be the only reason. (Of course it may apply to some, and that would not be unique to the US. Some places just have crap food.)

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

We brought a couple of friends over from the UK for their first disney visit. We had a ball! However, on one day they were acting funny and we finally said "WHAT is it??" and they sheepishly asked why everyone was fat.



I looked around and I guess the views were vastly different than how we all looked in the 1970s. Not sure what has happened.


I don't do world travel, but am wondering...do we as americans look different than non-tourists in the EU and south ameria and australia etc?

And if so....why?

quoting the original post, as the OP asked specific questions

 

[john7994]

Actaully in Europe we do have similar
In Ireland we have National Disability Authority
Article 26 (Title 3: Equality) is entitled ‘Integration of Persons with Disabilities’ and states that 'The Union recognises and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community.

However, we have buildings, towns, cities etc which date back thousands of years. Dublin is officially recognized as being founded by The Vikings in the 800's, so many places in our modern country were built long before Disability Legislation.

Time to get with the times … no more excuses!

 

[kanerf]

I work in DC and there is lots of public transportation available. Not so much back home in Western PA, so I do drive every where when I am home. In DC, I often take the Metro to work and then have to walk about two blocks. I don't mind that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Actaully in Europe we do have similar
In Ireland we have National Disability Authority
Article 26 (Title 3: Equality) is entitled ‘Integration of Persons with Disabilities’ and states that 'The Union recognises and respects the right of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community.

However, we have buildings, towns, cities etc which date back thousands of years. Dublin is officially recognized as being founded by The Vikings in the 800's, so many places in our modern country were built long before Disability Legislation.

As you often remind us Ireland is not part of the UK therefore while you may be able to discuss your particular area I'm speaking about Europe (not even just the UK ) as a whole of which no one can dispute that the considerations towards mobility issues is quite different. Some is no fault of their own given the oldness aspect others are just overall viewpoints.

In the U.S. the ADA oversees parking, service animals and access to public facilities as well as sooooo much more on a much grandeur scale than you are speaking about. FWIW you're pretty far behind the times, the act was only ratified, per the information I found, in 2018 (signed in 2007). Meanwhile in the U.S. the ADA has been law since 1990.

Regardless no need to go tit for tat, in terms of access for those with mobility the U.S. led the charge with that one. And mobility is not merely "you're overweight" not by a long shot.

 

[Karin1984]

In my experience “skinny shaming” seems to be much more socially acceptable these days than “fat shaming”. As a naturally thin person who actually tries to work to keep weight on (with protein shakes etc.) many people seem to think it’s absolutely fine to tell me to my face that I’m looking “too skinny”, “gaunt”, etc., while I would never think of responding by saying something like “well you’re looking kind of chubby” because that would feel unpardonably rude. When I mentioned this observation to my doctor he agreed and said that over the years, as people’s average weights have increased, what used to be considered normal many now see as “too skinny”.

True, I guess it is more women who skinny shame? In my personal experience men fat shame more.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

We brought a couple of friends over from the UK for their first disney visit. We had a ball! However, on one day they were acting funny and we finally said "WHAT is it??" and they sheepishly asked why everyone was fat.



I looked around and I guess the views were vastly different than how we all looked in the 1970s. Not sure what has happened.

Again quoting the OP and the questions asked.

American has a more car dependent culture and society and has very different food regulation's. This combination answers the specific question asked

I don't do world travel, but am wondering...do we as americans look different than non-tourists in the EU and south ameria and australia etc?

And if so....why?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If there was a choice, I would absolutely walk but nothing is within walking distance from where I live and no sidewalks. The high school is about 25 minutes walk from where I am so kids in my neighborhood have to walk on the side of the road to get there and back.

TBH it's not really all that different in other parts of the world when you really think about it despite what is often mentioned.

We just have more places where cars are part and parcel with life but it's not like everywhere is connected to everyplace in the world.

 

[disneyseniors]

I've thought back to growing up in the 60s and 70s. Everyone's mamas and daddys were thin. Mama stayed home and did house chores. She didn't exercise, nor did Grandmama. They sewed and cooked and cleaned. No aerobics and pilates. But they were skinny. We ate honey buns and pound cake and ate well portioned home cooked meals. It wasn't kale and salads. It was actually not healthy by today's standards, but yet we were thin.

So curious what is going on...

We might have run it off playing outside til dark. I had to walk to school from first grade onwards, and it was at the end of our long street. We didn't have the sweets all the time like we do now. It was a treat on Friday nights for grandpa to make fudge! There weren't cookies, cakes, pies every day like we sometimes surround ourselves with. Right now I have coconut cream pie, lemon cake and 3 types of cookies on hand. Oh,, and I have an assortment of Lil Debbies snacks too. I try not to eat too much but my husband has a sweet tooth. BTW I am not over weight, thanks to covid.

 

[jimmymc]

Yes and no, because of course there isn't a simple answer.

The US has a higher percentage of big people compared to almost every other country. The UK isn't too far behind, which is why I would be a bit surprised at their reaction, but compared to Asia and South America, the US is much larger on average. I won't get into why, but this is confirmed with data.

This second point I have no scientific evidence behind, but I tend to notice more larger people at Disney World. And I'm including myself in that group, since my BMI is in the "obese" category even though I feel pretty fit. But Disney has by far the most inclusive rides of any theme park chain and easy scooter access around the parks (again, compared to other big park chains). So it would not surprise me if the Disney crowd averages larger than the total American population.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

If there was a choice, I would absolutely walk but nothing is within walking distance from where I live and no sidewalks. The high school is about 25 minutes walk from where I am so kids in my neighborhood have to walk on the side of the road to get there and back.

My town has no sidewalks. Also not one single stop light. I live about an hour outside of New York City! People just do not understand the sheer size of America, how rural most of our country really is, and how you just CANNOT walk most of our country regardless if we all suddenly had sidewalks.

Tourists visiting tourists areas in America need to remind themselves that they are surrounded by...other tourists. Not necessarily by Americans going about their daily lives.

 

[Smugpugmug]

TBH it's not really all that different in other parts of the world when you really think about it despite what is often mentioned.

We just have more places where cars are part and parcel with life but it's not like everywhere is connected to everyplace in the world.

That is true but it was significantly easier in Germany to walk to every place I needed to go vs. the US. If I wanted to walk to the Walmart near me, it would be an hour walk and a 5 minute drive.