Kids’ Diet in France vs. America

Child Obesity

The differences in eating habits of French and American children have lead to differences in the child obesity rates of the two countries.  In America, one in six children is obese, or 16.7% (France24, 2017). However, in France, the child obesity rate is only 3.6% (France24, 2017). This difference in obesity rates has been attributed to the fast-food-focused diets and bigger portion sizes for American children.  Childhood obesity can result in many health complications later on in adulthood, such as diabetes, heart disease, joint injuries, low self esteem, and others. Figure 1 shows how the child obesity rates in England, France, and the United States have changed from 1990 to 2015.  While the child obesity rate in the United States has been increasing over the past 25 years, the child obesity rate in France has been remaining mostly constant (Fig. 1).

Figure 1. Obesity rates in children in England, France and the United States from 1990-2015. (OECD, 2017).

The French Paradox

The French have lower child obesity rates and less weight-related illnesses than the United States, but their diets tend to consist of foods that are higher in fat (Le Billon, 2012).  They also tend to spend twice the amount of time eating as Americans do; most French people enjoy a two hour lunch break from work (Le Billon, 2012). Their increased intake of fat and additional time spent eating might cause one to infer that the French should have a higher obesity rate than Americans.  Why is this not the case? This question has been long debated. Some believe that it might be due to the French having smaller portion sizes; one study found that a medium fry at McDonald’s in Philadelphia was 72% larger than a medium fry in Paris (Le Billon, 2012). Some believe it may be due to the French exercising more, especially walking rather than solely relying on cars for transportation.  Still others attribute the decreased obesity rate in France to the French habit of spending more time to enjoy their food rather than inhale it and be left feeling unsatisfied, like in the United States.

Modern Rates of Breastfeeding in Europe & The United States

The rates of mothers who breastfeed their babies from infancy vary across countries.

• United States = 81%,
• United Kingdom = 81%,
• Finland = 99%
• Sweden = 83%
• With France’s initial rate of breastfeeding only being 62%.

However, after six months of breastfeeding many breastfeeding rates begin to drop as mothers become exhausted, uninterested and unwilling.

• United States = 52%,
• United Kingdom = 34%,
• Finland = 60%
• Sweden = 72%
• With France’s rate of breastfeeding falling to 39%.

The Paris Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an organization that works to promote policies to help improve the economic and social well-being of people all around the world, states that “France is not only the European country where the breastfeeding rate is one of the lowest but it’s also one of the countries where mothers chose to breastfeed their child the least time possible.”

History of Breastfeeding in France 

19th Century:
The Invention of Pasteurization rendered cow’s milk safe, which prompted many mothers to resist breastfeeding and accept the easier, convenient and less intrusive method of formula milk from a bottle. People associated breastfeeding with the undeniable rates of infant mortality, therefore bottles began to symbolize a saving grace for children, something that would be ultimately safer.

20th Century:
Breastfeeding rates remained low throughout the 20th Century, and even in the year of 1995 only 45% of French women would begin breastfeeding their infants. From convenience to shame, there were many reasons why the French women resisted their bodily ability to breastfeed. The “French Stigma” defined the cultural aversion to public breastfeeding due to the shameful nature of undressing yourself in public.

The feminist group "Leche League France", a breastfeeding support organization, said the reasons are historical and also tied to a curious strain of French feminism.

"There is a significant movement in French society which says breastfeeding is tantamount to slavery and exploitation. So to promote breastfeeding is to be against women’s liberation, this brand of French feminism renounces breastfeeding because they consider motherhood slavery for women" said Leche League spokeswoman Claude-Suzanne Didierjean-Jouveau.

However, contrary, there were also many French women who notably stood behind dated ideas that their breasts were for their husband, public undressing of any sort is completely inappropriate, and bottle feeding is a modest, more ladylike option to child rearing.

21st Century:
In the year of 2000, the French Government, in an effort to truly help its citizens, spoke out against society's trend towards non-breastfeeding by encouraging French mothers to begin and continue breastfeeding. Rates of worldwide obesity were rising, and though the French rates remain more stable than other countries, an increase was still occurring. French national health authorities intervened to state that mothers should be breastfeeding their children for at least four months, however six months of breastfeeding is the best for the child’s health. This information was obtained from World Health Organization, who promotes that mothers should ideally breast feed their children for six months because breast milk is the “perfect food” for newborns, because it contains all the nutrients a child needs.

Following government intervention, rates of French mothers beginning to breastfeed rose to 70%. (based on a study given with 18,000 French mothers) This increase was ultimately beneficial to the French population, which indicated the importance and emphasis the French government places on the health of it’s nations citizens.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Many studies regarding the benefits and drawbacks of breastfeeding remain in progress, with results that are heavily thought to be true but still inconclusive. However, many benefits of breastfeeding have been regarded.

Benefits include reduces in the babies’ risk of:

•     Allergies
•     Eczema
•     Viruses
•     Urinary Tract Infections
•     Inflammatory Bowel Disease
•     Gastroenteritis
•     Ear Infections
•     Respiratory Infections
•     Pneumonia
•     Colds
•     Lessens the risk of SIDS
•     Promotes effectiveness of vaccines
•     Spinal Meningitis
•     Type 1 Diabetes
•     Hodgkin’s lymphoma

This includes the fact that formula fed babies are three times more likely to suffer from ear infections than breastfed babies. Also, formula fed babies are five times more likely to suffer from pneumonia and lower respiratory-tract infections.

Inconclusive yet pertinent research has pointed towards an improvement in IQ linked to breastfeeding. Though socioeconomic factors remain vital to the IQ scores of people, scientists believe the fatty acids in breast milk may factor into high IQ scores in the long run. Similarly, lower levels of obesity have been linked to breastfeeding. There are many psychological factors within a mother breastfeeding, and often a mother has the ability to sense when her baby has had enough to eating, leading to diminished rates of overfeeding, which promotes healthy eating habits and ultimately helps avoid trends of obesity.

Finally, the psychological relationship between mother and child is strengthened by breastfeeding because of the level of consistent intimacy that is necessary for successful breastfeeding to occur. The benefits of this motherly love and intimacy have many long term benefits on the child.

What do American Children Eat at Home?

Breakfast:
For breakfast, the most common food that is eaten is cold cereal. The cereal is usually filled with sugar and is unhealthy for the consumer. Other breakfast foods are muffins, bagels, eggs, waffles and bacon. As a child grows up, they are more likely to eat breakfast before going along with their day. 83% of adults older than 65 eat breakfast everyday (Langer, 2005).

Breakfast Eaters by Age in the United States (Langer, 2005)

Snack:
For a snack, American children are likely to eat chips, cheese, crackers or other forms of junk food. Children are more likely to eat junk food and parents are less likely to implement a harsh nutritious diet in the United States than in France (Langer, 2005).

Dinner:
For dinner, parents try to appease their child and usually give PB&J, Mac & Cheese, a hamburger to picky eaters. Restaurants specifically cater to children with a separate “children’s menu” that features the options given above for picky eaters (Langer, 2005).

What Do French Children Eat at Home?

The eating habits of both French and American children tend to differ depending on whether the meal is eaten at home or at school.  Usually both French and American children eat breakfast and dinner at home, and lunch at school, although some American children eat breakfast at school instead.  A typical breakfast for a French child might include a piece of fruit, a tartine, a croissant, or a bowl of cereal, and some juice (Whitaker, 2014). Usually breakfast foods in France are light, and just enough food to hold you over until lunch, which is the main meal of the day.  Usually French kids eat non-sugary cereals, but the influence and globalization of American culture has led to an increase of French kids beginning to eat sugary cereals. Some French children, especially younger ones, eat a small afternoon snack such as cookies and tea.  A typical dinner for a French child varies depending on the region of France they live in, but French children are expected to eat the same food that their parents are eating; there are no “kids’ menus” in France. Common French dishes served at dinner include cassoulet, ratatouille, choucroute, and others.