french diets

The idea that French woman could live in the land of wine, cheese, and those mouth-watering pastries without gaining so much as an inch was such a phenomenon that it even spawned a best-selling book, French Women Don't Get Fat. And, yes, it may have created a little envy, too.

But as it turns out, French women do get fat, as do French men. According to Reuters, their obesity rates are very similar to those in the United States ... forty years ago.

There are at least two books on American shelves that boldly claim that French women don't get fat. One is the book by that name (French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. The other is the newly released The French Diet: The Secrets of Why French Women Don't Get Fat, by Michael Montignac.

However this piece in Time Magazine shows that all is not as it seems: A recent book by politician Jean-Marie Le Guen, Obesity: A New French Illness, notes that women in France, like women everywhere else, do get fat because they have less time to shop for fresh produce and are wolfing down more processed foods.

Hot on the heels of the huge popularity of book French Women Don't Get Fat comes another French Diet. This book is called The French Diet: The Secrets of Why French Women Don't Get Fat, by Michael Montignac (released 2 May 05). While other diets focus on the "can'ts" and the "don'ts", THE FRENCH DIET encourages readers to savor eating and to discover new flavors, tastes and textures in addition to the ones they already know and love. This positive approach will prove a welcome reprieve to readers who've suffered through the predictable backsliding of food-restricting diet plans. Montignac writes, "you can maintain a slim figure and still enjoy artfully prepared, delicious gourmet fare in your own kitchen every day."

French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano has become quite popular recently (even Time magazine have an article on it). The title isn't factually accurate, as 10% of French women are considered obese (compared with 33% of Americans). But hey, diet books are all about eye-catching titles and clever marketing.

The book looks at the difference between lifestyle, and comes up with some of the same old basic advice - eat less, exercise more.