An American woman who spent four years living in Europe has shared the remarkable transformation in her health and lifestyle and the stark differences she observed between American and European food culture.
"I would say that I grew up eating maybe a little bit better than the standard American diet, but definitely close to it. It is nothing compared to what I eat like now," Kayleigh Donahue, 27, told Newsweek.
When she moved to Ireland, she said she started to eat more whole foods—but wasn't restricting herself.
"For some reason, the weight started falling off of me. I ended up losing close to 50 pounds within the first six months of living in Ireland," Donahue, who grew up in Rhode Island, recalled. "I was shocked by this because I didn't feel like I drastically changed my eating."
It wasn't just weight loss that Donahue noticed either: "I felt so much healthier," she said. "My skin was glowing and I lost the weight I was struggling with my whole life."
She attributed the drastic physical changes to differing cultural attitudes toward food.
"The food is not only better quality in European countries, but the mindset around food is also different," she said. "There is easier access to local good quality foods, and I didn't feel like I was breaking the bank when purchasing them."
Big differences between food in the U.S. and Europe is as a result of varying food regulations, ingredient standards and labeling requirements.
While the U.S. takes a more hands-off approach to testing and inspections, Europe requires food additives to be proven safe before approval, and has even banned the use of certain additives found in the U.S., notes specialty ingredients group Tilley Distribution.
Dietary patterns also appear to create a role. While the American diet often features high consumption of fast food and processed foods, the European diet generally emphasizes more fresh and whole foods. In fact, some American food companies produce healthier versions of their products to sell to the European market to satisfy consumers, according to the Focus for Health Foundation.
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that just over 73 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. However, World Health Organization (WHO) data shows that Europe too faces significant challenges with obesity. In Europe, the WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022 revealed that 59 percent of adults, and almost 1 in 3 children, in Europe are overweight or obese.
The differences Donahue saw after moving across the Atlantic led her to become a certified health coach: "I felt like I went through an entire health transformation within the first year of living in Ireland," she said. "This new-found confidence trickled into all other aspects of my life."
But now living back in the U.S., she explained it isn't without its challenges.
"Now that I have moved back to the U.S., I know what I am missing out on," Donahue said. Despite her efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, she has noticed adverse effects. "I have put on 5-10 pounds, my skin has worsened, and I struggle with bloating."
Since her experience, Donahue advocates for everyone adopting elements of the European diet.
"I know that everyone can't just up and move to Europe. I try to teach people about incorporating the European style and mindset of eating into their lives in the U.S.," she said. "This means turning away from the SAD—standard American diet—and embracing whole foods such as animal protein, vegetables, and fruit."
Donahue also shares her experience online, where a recent before and after video gained more than 2 million views where she shared how she had tried "all the diets" before her move. In thousands of comments, people were completely on board with her thoughts on the diet differences.
"Less sugar in basically everything will generally do the trick," said one commenter.
While others shared their own experiences of trying out a more European-inspired diet.
"I lost 15 pounds in London on vacation," said one reply. While another wrote: "I moved to France, ate "worse" food like croissants, hot chocolate, bread and lost 50 pounds in 6 months."
Before embarking on any significant dietary changes, you should always consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more
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