Think of France and you often think of chic, classic, immaculately turned out women without leggings or a baggy T-shirt in sight. According to Mireille Guiliano and her books, ‘French women don’t get fat’. There’s also the Parisian diet, developed by Dr Jean-Michel Cohen, based promoting the healthy eating habits of Parisians to an international market.
The French have one of the lowest obesity rates in Europe with 40% of the population estimated to be overweight and about 13% obese. While you might still think this seems high, compare this to the UK where an estimated 60% of the population is overweight and 25% is obese. Ouch!
So what are the French doing right? How are they managing to keep the levels of obesity and overweight lower than other European countries? What are the 5 healthy eating habits ‘a la francaise’ which you can follow?!
1. Avoid snacking between meals
The French as a general rule do not snack between meals. They eat 3 meals a day, with possibly a small snack at the end of the afternoon, due to the evening meal not being eaten before about 8 pm. Eating in public (on transport or walking around) is generally frowned upon and the French believe in sitting down and taking the time to fully appreciate their food. Food should be enjoyed, savoured and never rushed!
2. Drink water
Despite their reputation for wine (!), the French generally drink water with possibly 1-2 small glasses of wine with a meal. Fizzy drinks are the exception and certainly not the norm and are offered at parties or ‘aperos’ (pre-diner drinks), but they are very much treated as an occasional ‘treat’ and certainly not something to be guzzled on a daily basis. As for milky coffees and syrup sweetened coffees, the general rule is while a milky coffee (café crème) might be served for breakfast, the rest of the time, people have small elegant ‘expressos’. You would never for example be expected to ask for a milky coffee after your meal – quelle horreur!
3. Be aware of portion sizes
French portion sizes are generally quite moderate. A meal is prized for its appearance and taste and it’s definitely a question of ‘quality over quantity’. Like fashion, less is more! A serving of animal protein (meat/chicken, fish) is about 120g, and the carbohydrate is a similar serving. Bear in mind too, that lunch in France tends to consist of a balanced meal containing a starter (entrée) of vegetables or salad, followed by a main meal of protein, carbohydrates and possibly another serving of vegetables. Desserts tend to be light, consisting of fruit salad or yoghurt. Or, when they are rich (such as a chocolate mousse) they are served in very small portions!
4. Eat a light evening meal
The French tend to eat their main meal at lunch, taking a lunch break of 1-2 hours to enjoy a meal with work colleagues or friends. Therefore, the evening meal tends to much lighter, consisting of salads and soups. It’s naturally a very healthy rhythm! As for eating in front of the television – never! Meals always tend to be eaten around a table and further snacking after the evening meal is discouraged. Again, it’s all to do with respect for food and meals and taking the time prepare, sit down and eat with your family.
5. Limit processed foods and prepare and cook your own meals
As a general rule, the French don’t tend to buy ready meals and there is more of a focus on preparing and cooking home-made meals. Linked with this, there is also a healthy respect for seasonal fruits and vegetables and shopping locally. In and outside of Paris, each neighbourhood tends to have a bakery (boulangerie), butcher (boucherie) and vegetable and fruit vendors.
The French one of the lowest obesity rates in EU, with only 40% overweight and a low 13% obese
A final point to add is that there is quite a lot of social pressure in France to maintain a healthy weight. In Paris, most ‘trendy’ clothing shops do not sell clothes above a UK size 14. If you put on weight, friends and family are very quick (and sometimes not very gentle!) to comment on it. Going up a dress size (unless you are pregnant!) is not something that’s acceptable. One negative aspect I have noticed is that being overweight is often viewed as a lack of self-control and ‘fat-shaming’, even by medical professionals is relatively common.
The latest research highlights that obesity is actually a chronic disease and that support, education and encouragement work better than criticism and accusations. It’s also very clear that prevention is key and preventing weight going on in the first place is easier than trying to later lose 10, 20, 30 pounds and more. Weight control is very much a question of long term healthy eating habits.
We do adapt to our environments and if you are in an environment which promotes healthy eating habits, like France then you are more likely to cultivate and develop these habits yourself. So, if you can’t come to France, then bring France to you! Take these five rules and aim to follow them wherever you live!
Charlotte Debeugny is a British nutritionist and published author, based in France. www.charlottedebeugny.com
