The US has lower rates of food contamination from e.g. Salmonella or E coli, which I think is what that study is measuring. However, I think food in the EU generally has superior, better tasting, ingredients. There are two reasons I believe this to be the case. The first one probably has a smaller impact than the second.
The first reason that in the US an ingredient must be proven to be harmful before the FDA is allowed to ban it. In the EU an ingredient must be proven to be safe before it is allowed in commercial products.
The second reason is that while both the US and EU have farming subsidies, the way these subsidies are structured means that in the US they tend to incentivize the use of high fructose corn syrup and the production of highly processed foods while in the EU highly processed foods tend to be more expensive and “whole foods” tend to be cheaper.
As a result people in the EU tend to eat less processed food as a percentage of their caloric intake:
The second reason is that while both the US and EU have farming subsidies, the way these subsidies are structured means that in the US they tend to incentivize the use of high fructose corn syrup
Yes, but that is actually not solely subsidies- but also overregulation. Sugar imports are taxed. Though, it would be better for people’s health to try to transition away from caloric sugars to substitutes like aspartame.
the production of highly processed foods
Source?
highly processed foods tend to be more expensive and “whole foods” tend to be cheaper.
This is just the blog of a guy selling a book.
As a result people in the EU tend to eat less processed food as a percentage of their caloric intake:
Americans can afford raw potatoes too, they choose not to buy it. In fact, despite buying meat something supposedly 25% of Europeans cannot afford to eat every second day(though I don’t believe that statistic to be honest)- Americans spend significantly less of their budget on food.
The US congressional research service thinks EU subsidies are more spread out among all types of crops, including fruits and vegetables, whereas US policy focuses more on grains, sugars, dairy, and oil seeds:
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46811
That’s not a direct subsidy of food processin of course, but the crops the US chooses to support ends up incentivizing it.
The US has lower rates of food contamination from e.g. Salmonella or E coli, which I think is what that study is measuring. However, I think food in the EU generally has superior, better tasting, ingredients. There are two reasons I believe this to be the case. The first one probably has a smaller impact than the second.
The first reason that in the US an ingredient must be proven to be harmful before the FDA is allowed to ban it. In the EU an ingredient must be proven to be safe before it is allowed in commercial products.
The second reason is that while both the US and EU have farming subsidies, the way these subsidies are structured means that in the US they tend to incentivize the use of high fructose corn syrup and the production of highly processed foods while in the EU highly processed foods tend to be more expensive and “whole foods” tend to be cheaper.
As a result people in the EU tend to eat less processed food as a percentage of their caloric intake:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34647997/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8921104/
Yes, but that is actually not solely subsidies- but also overregulation. Sugar imports are taxed. Though, it would be better for people’s health to try to transition away from caloric sugars to substitutes like aspartame.
Source?
This is just the blog of a guy selling a book.
So we were talking about supply, not consumption. But regardless, yes americans choose to eat processed foods more on average. So? The predominant cheap form of calories/proteins in Europe are cereals and tubers, those aren’t exactly lacking in the US. (Btw, its just because they’re cheap everywhere,
Though its not like either Americans or Europeans are significantly different in food group consumption for the most part The other differences being a much higher preference for meat in the US, also supported by the US actually getting majority of its protein from meat sources
Americans can afford raw potatoes too, they choose not to buy it. In fact, despite buying meat something supposedly 25% of Europeans cannot afford to eat every second day(though I don’t believe that statistic to be honest)- Americans spend significantly less of their budget on food.
And to preempt a possible argument, American antiobiotic use in livestock is on par with some of Europe and much lower than some of Europe
The US congressional research service thinks EU subsidies are more spread out among all types of crops, including fruits and vegetables, whereas US policy focuses more on grains, sugars, dairy, and oil seeds: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46811
That’s not a direct subsidy of food processin of course, but the crops the US chooses to support ends up incentivizing it.
And this paper also makes it sound like subsidized crops in the US end up in processed foods: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2530901
Cultural factors are a thing but I think they’re used far too often to explain away trends at the population level and the effects of public policy.