The Off Topic Topic

[crazy canuck]

I should add that when I first started coming to Europe it was rare to see a fat person.  That has definitely changed over the years.

[Duque de Bragança]

These stickers are used by service in Germany when they are changing to winter tires to indicate that the tires have more limited performance than summer tires. So you should go no faster than 160kph / 100 mph or 240 kph / 150 mph in winter. 

Gut zu wissen!

[Valmy]

I wonder if this will be the first generation when the younger men are weaker/less fit than the older generation.

Possibly, but one thing I can tell is that your (our) generation will not be the first which will NOT think the next generation is inferior. 

Really, in what generation do you think a man about 60 could look at a group of 30 something men and realize he is clearly stronger and in better shape?

I don't know if us Xers are the ferocious fitness fanatics as you seem to think 

What happened to us anyway? We used to slackers who were too cool to care, now I see Xers whining about kids today like they are lame Boomers.

We should be like:

"Kids today? Oh they're cool."

"Are you being sarcastic, dude?"

"I don't even know anymore."

[Josquius]

Star Trek beat you, data can't contract words

True. Completely failed to think of him whilst my mind was on super old school vs. super modern stuff.
I don't see contractions being much issue for the robots though whilst other stuff will be more of an issue for them. Resurgence in rhyming slang to fool the bots.

Mrs. CC and I are travelling at the moment.  The local population (Sardinians) are generally fit.  A grandmother passed us walking up a steep hill...

But an interesting thing we are noticing about the Northern Europeans we see - the men in my generation have good muscle tone, but a lot of the younger guys are skinning fat.  Scrawny arms and pot bellies.  Or just plain fat fat.

I wonder if this will be the first generation when the younger men are weaker/less fit than the older generation.

Under current trends absolutely.
Though I do think trends are changing so things should reverse before too long with a decline in cars, rise in active mobility and so forth,

[crazy canuck]

I wonder if this will be the first generation when the younger men are weaker/less fit than the older generation.

Possibly, but one thing I can tell is that your (our) generation will not be the first which will NOT think the next generation is inferior. 

Really, in what generation do you think a man about 60 could look at a group of 30 something men and realize he is clearly stronger and in better shape?

I don't know if us Xers are the ferocious fitness fanatics as you seem to think 

What happened to us anyway? We used to slackers who were too cool to care, now I see Xers whining about kids today like they are lame Boomers.

We should be like:

"Kids today? Oh they're cool."

"Are you being sarcastic, dude?"

"I don't even know anymore."

Well, I am not sure Americans have been the pictures of health, I am more talking about the Europeans.  The change over the last 40 years has been striking.

[Jacob]

I believe it's a well established fact that obesity etc is becoming more widespread across Europe. There are some North-South trends (and East-West ones too?), but I believe overall everyone is getting fatter at varying rates.

[Barrister]

I believe it's a well established fact that obesity etc is becoming more widespread across Europe. There are some North-South trends (and East-West ones too?), but I believe overall everyone is getting fatter at varying rates.

So this is just a pretty low sample size of the 20 guys I play hockey with, but the younger guys are mostly all fat while the old guys aren't.  But also fitness can only make up for age up to a point.

[HVC]

"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action"


Let's see if a third happens

Is there a third whistleblower?

Third whistle blower has arrived, let's see if any misfortune befalls him

[crazy canuck]

I believe it's a well established fact that obesity etc is becoming more widespread across Europe. There are some North-South trends (and East-West ones too?), but I believe overall everyone is getting fatter at varying rates.

Total populations yes, but something I didn't realize until now is what that means for younger men.

It's also striking when compared to a population like the Sardinians who have generally remained fit.

[Jacob]

Italy apparently has the lowest (but still high) rate of overweight folks in Europe:



... and it's near the bottom when it comes to obesity as well



That said, it doesn't seem massively different from Northern Europe. Maybe there's something special about Sardinia that results in a lower rate relative to Italy as a whole... or maybe there's some other factors in play in terms of the visiting demographics?

[Josquius]

hmm, interesting to see the overweight/obese split.
As purely in my anecdotal experience Switzerland absolutely doesn't compare to the UK, no way would I consider there to be only a 10% difference...but I guess its that obese difference that is really noticeable.
Still reported numbers seem much higher than it seems to me - I do know I'm in one of the fattest parts of the UK, maybe I was also in one of the fittest bits of Switzerland?

Surprised the Dutch score so high on overweight... Again I do wonder whether Amsterdam and the surroundings are where all the thin people are.

[Sheilbh]

Surprised by Turkey - but I only really go to Istanbul which might be different. The rest is pretty much what I'd expect.

Feel like there's probably a strong benefit to getting those weight loss drugs on the NHS or other healthcare system. At least for the obese.

[crazy canuck]

It would be interesting to see regional differences. I think the Northern parts of Italy bring up it's average

[crazy canuck]

hmm, interesting to see the overweight/obese split.
As purely in my anecdotal experience Switzerland absolutely doesn't compare to the UK, no way would I consider there to be only a 10% difference...but I guess its that obese difference that is really noticeable.
Still reported numbers seem much higher than it seems to me - I do know I'm in one of the fattest parts of the UK, maybe I was also in one of the fittest bits of Switzerland?

Surprised the Dutch score so high on overweight... Again I do wonder whether Amsterdam and the surroundings are where all the thin people are.

Could just be the fat folks never go outside and walk around so we don't see them.

[Sheilbh]

It would be interesting to see regional differences. I think the Northern parts of Italy bring up it's average

I'd guess the opposite to be honest. Just thinking of places I've been in the north like Piedmont, Liguria and Milan v places I've been in the south like Sicily, Naples and Puglia. No evidence though.