France, irreligion and obesity

France has the 8th highest rate of atheism in the world with 43–54% of the population being atheists/agnostics/non-believers in God.

Due to its past, namely the anti-clerical French Revolution and its after effects, France has the 8th highest rate of atheism in the world with 43–54% of the population being atheists/agnostics/non-believers in God. In 2015, it was estimated that at least 29% of France's population identifies as atheists and 63% identifies as non-religious. In addition, France has the 4rth highest belief in evolution in the Western World. See also: French atheism

Obesity and France

On February 18, 2019, the online encycylopedia Wikipedia, which was founded by an atheist and agnostic, declared in an article entitled Obesity in France:

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Obesity in France is a growing health issue. Obesity in children is growing at a faster rate than obesity in adults. Based on World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2014, 23.9% of French adults (age 18+) were clinically obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. The data showed the incidence of obesity in French women in 2014 was 24.0% and among French men 23.8%. Overall adult obesity rates in France were significantly ahead of the Netherlands at 19.8%, Germany at 20.1% and Italy at 21.0%, but behind the United Kingdom and the United States at 28.1% and 33.7% respectively.

”

Atheism and obesity

Two of the major risk factors for becoming obese according to the Mayo Clinic are poor dietary choices and inactivity. According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."

See also: Atheism and obesity and Atheism and diabetes and Atheism and health

The current atheist population mostly resides in East Asia (particularly China) and in secular Europe/Australia primarily among whites. See: Global atheism and Western atheism and race

Secular Europe and communist China have significant problems with obesity (see: Secular Europe and obesity and China and obesity). In addition, Australia has a significant problem with obesity (see: Australia, irreligion and obesity).

As noted above, in the United States at the present time, the greater the degree of irreligiosity in a generation, the higher their obesity rate is. According to the Gallup Inc., "Very religious Americans are more likely to practice healthy behaviors than those who are moderately religious or nonreligious."

In addition, a significant number of prominent atheists are overweight (see: Atheism and obesity).

For more information, See: Atheism and obesity

France, irreligion, alcoholism and obesity

See also: Atheistic France and alcoholism

In 2013, it was reported that 36,500 French men die each year from alcohol-related illnesses, around 13 percent of the overall male mortality rate.

Research indicates that heavy drinking may contribute to obesity. For example, a study found that frequent, light drinkers (3 to 7 drinking days per week, 1 drink per drinking day) had lower BMIs than infrequent, but heavier drinkers.

Atheists and atheistic cultures often have significant problems with excess alcohol usage (For more information please see: Atheism and alcoholism).

At least 100 studies suggests religion has a positive effect on preventing alcohol-related problems, researchers Christopher Ellison, Jennifer Barrett and Benjamin Moulton noted in an article in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion on “Gender, Marital Status, and Alcohol Behavior: The Neglected Role of Religion.” See: Atheism and alcoholism

In 2018, The Guardian reported:

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France must do more to tackle alcohol abuse and smoking, the country’s health minister has said. Marisol Touraine said France was renowned for its healthcare but needed to do more in terms of preventing diseases. She said there was a very French form of denial over the hazards of alcohol, which is believed to cause an estimated 50,000 premature deaths a year in France... Touraine said figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development showed the French consume an average 12 litres of pure alcohol a year, equivalent to about 120 bottles of wine, compared with a European average of 9.1 litres.

”

In 2013, The Local published the news article Alcohol report lays bare France's drink problem which indicated:

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The reputation of the French for drinking in moderation appears slightly misleading after a worrying report released on Monday revealed alcohol is responsible for around 49,000 deaths in France each year - around 134 each day. According to the report published by the European Journal of Public Health, alcohol consumption was responsible for the deaths of around 49,000 people. Catherine Hill, one of the authors of the report summed up the findings simply by saying "the French drink too much". The stats, based on the year 2009, revealed that three times as many French men died as a result of an alcohol relate health problem than women. The study, carried out by the Service for Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the Institue Gustave Roussy, near Paris found that around 36,500 French men die each year from alcohol-related illnesses, around 13 percent of the overall male mortality rate.

”

In 2005, The Guardian published an article entitled France in denial over alcohol abuse, report warns which declared:

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The French government has been urged in a report to "snap out of its state of national denial" and take urgent steps to "denormalise drinking". Hervé Chabalier, a leading journalist and former alcoholic who wrote the report, said: "In this country we have always, culturally, looked at alcohol through a magnifying glass: we just see the good side, never the fact that ... drink is the third greatest cause of avoidable deaths in France." Mr Chabalier presented his report, Alcoholism - The Simple Truth, to health minister Xavier Bertrand yesterday. He said alcohol was directly responsible for 23,000 deaths a year in France, and indirectly responsible for a further 22,000. "A third of all custodial sentences in this country, half of all domestic violence, a third of all handicaps are due to alcohol," he said. "One French person in 10 is ill as a result of alcohol, and every day five French people die after an accident linked to alcohol." He said 5 million drank too much, and 2 million were dependent on alcohol. The healthcare system was incapable of dealing with the plague.

”

See also

• Atheistic France and loneliness
• Atheism and health
• Atheism and diabetes
• Atheism and life expectancy