Is the French food paradigm shaking? Dietary inequality exceeds that of the United States

France is not only a tourist destination, but also a leader in food. In the past, the French always believed that the United States has always been a fast-food culture and could not have healthy and delicious food. But in fact, according to a survey published by the French Living Conditions Observation Research Center (Credoc), the diet of French people aged 21 to 34 is more unbalanced than that of Americans of the same age. Research experts said that if this becomes a phenomenon for an entire generation, it may weaken the exemplary status of French cuisine.

According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, a December 2011 dietary survey of French people showed that the myth that Americans eat more and higher-calorie foods than the French has been dispelled. The average daily intake in France is 2,095 calories, while in the United States it is 2,073 calories, a small difference. Among the 21 to 34 age group, more people choose to eat sandwiches or cheese and dried meat products, and consume very few vegetables and fruits.

In comparison, the French consume more saturated fat and cholesterol on average, which can increase cardiovascular risk; Americans love to drink soda and consume too much sugar, drinking an average of 4.5 times more soda and more than 3 times more fruit juice than the French. However, because their diet contains a lot of walnuts, canola oil and fish, omega-3 saturated fatty acids make up for the health deficiencies.

It is worth noting that France has a more diverse diet. The French aged 15 to 20 and 45 to 64 have a more balanced diet. Research experts point out that the four basic principles of a healthy diet are: easy access to ingredients, food diversity, fixed time, and order of eating (traditional Western order is appetizer, main course, and dessert).

In addition, the study also pointed out that the reduction in consumption of the five major food categories can be explained by the decline in European economic indicators, but this trend is not conducive to a balanced diet for future generations, and people need to pay more attention to their own eating patterns.