I'm going to Germany again in May. How many people will I see NOT smoking?

Much more than the number of fat people you will see

274 if you look carefully

Caleb's Hat wrote:

Much more than the number of fat people you will see

No doubt. Europeans tend to much skinnier that Americans.

Arne Gabius.

Germany again wrote:

What's the line? Eight or so?

Oh, right! YOU are one of those people who KNOWS Europe sooooo well...

over it yet?

About the same as America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_capita

Although I love many things about Europe, the smoking really is terrible. One of the only ways that the U.S. absolutely wins in comparison.

For a more interesting discussion, how about the local running scene? I regularly go to France and Germany (at least once a year), and I am always amazed that "running" just doesn't exist.

Don't get me wrong - there are plenty of joggers in the ample park space, river trails and greenways, but I never see anyone doing a serious workout.

By LetsRun standards, my current fitness is somewhere on the hobbyjogger spectrum: 30-35 MPW, 1:28 HM. Most of my runs are around 7:15/mile. In the U.S., this means that I usually see at least one faster person on every run. In Europe, I have never been passed by another runner. Not even close!

I ascribe it to the lack of sports in schools, but I'm curious if anyone has other thoughts. Minus the smoking, Europeans are fairly healthy overall, and many people jog, but competitive running is almost nonexistent outside of small clubs.

11

As someone else already pointed out, the smoking rate is about the same in German as in the US.

Also, the obesity rate is similar. In 2007, 74.1% of Americans were obese (#9) vs. 60.1% in Germany (#43)

http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/07/worlds-fattest-countries-forbeslife-cx_ls_0208worldfat.html

Some sources say Germany is the fattest country in Europe, although the UK and Ireland are fatter according to other sources.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_Germany

The people who go on about how much better things are in Europe over the US have usually never been there or only been there on a short vacation and rely on stereotypes. Actual differences are never as extreme as people want to imagine.

I live in a major US city with a pretty substantial running scene and it's still very rare for me to see anyone doing 7-anything mile pace. The hobby joggers, even in the US, just outnumber competitive runners so vastly.

In most major cities I see people smoke in the U.S. Even in the PNW (Seattle) where smoking is on par with fast food. Smoking has got to be related to stress, which I would suggest is related to historical intergenerational trauma.

I think it would be interesting to consider that relationship between smoking and happiness. So far, I only smoke when I am sad.

On a side note: I am imagining that the U.S. population is advantage one compared to Germany. So a 14% difference is not comparable. Using Wiki as a source? Isn't that illegal?

Lorenzo the Magnificent wrote:

About the same as America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_cigarette_consumption_per_capita

Yikes, an average of 3 per day including everyone in the country.

That's totally disgusting.

Not the Germanwings co - pilot.

Clearly, the OP wants a cookie for traveling abroad

Well, I got back from Germany. LOTS of people smoking and day drinking beers inside. It's really pretty disgusting. But, most are pretty thin.

I don't encourage smoking but for most women, it works. They're able to maintain a healthy weight and as a result probably live healthier lives than non-smoking women who are much more likely to be overweight.

Not a smoker wrote:

I don't encourage smoking but for most women, it works. They're able to maintain a healthy weight and as a result probably live healthier lives than non-smoking women who are much more likely to be overweight.

That's an interesting way to look at it.

I see the opposite I lived in Europe Germany and Austria and still travel to Munich quite often

Comparison with Livonia (Michigan) Germany, Austria.

Munich Germany packed with runner every evening around the river Isar and English Garden

Villach Austria lots of off road cycle path I used to run 10k to work every morning and I would see many people running to work plus the Company I work for supported two times per week the lunch time interval training

Same Company in US 0 support for any sports

Livonia

Seen running to work 0

Seen cycling to work 0