According to publicly available data, 31.4% of Polish adults are obese (BMI > 30) and around 57% are overweight. That puts Poland firmly among the heavier nations in Europe.

(Source: Wikipedia – List of countries by obesity rate)

This is honestly shocking when you look at how Poland used to be perceived. Not that long ago, Poles were generally slimmer, and Polish women in particular had a reputation for being fit and elegant, while Western Europeans were seen as the unhealthy ones. Today, that picture seems to have flipped.

I recently visited Poland again and was struck by how common obesity has become, especially among young adults. In shopping malls, cafés, on the streets: double chins, visible abdominal obesity, and generally poor physical condition are no longer rare exceptions but part of the norm. Even within my extended family, women in their 20s and 30s are significantly overweight / obese.

What’s driving this? Rising prosperity is often mentioned, but prosperity alone doesn’t have to mean poor health. Countries with similar or higher income levels manage far better outcomes. So is it diet? Portion sizes? Alcohol consumption? A cultural attitude of “celebrating” everything with excess food and drink? Or a lack of awareness and social pressure when it comes to health and fitness?

Another striking aspect is the polarization in appearance: either visible obesity, or the opposite extreme of heavy cosmetic styling and artificial looks, or complete neglect of personal appearance. The healthy middle seems to be shrinking.

This isn’t meant as hate, but as genuine concern and criticism. What is happening in Poland that so many people seem to be letting themselves go physically? And why does this topic feel almost taboo to discuss openly?

I’m curious how people here see it, especially those living in Poland.

by Blondi_42

35 comments

  2. Pork based diet + alcohol + sugary sodas + lack of movement

  3. People here simply don’t care about eating healthy. The youth loves fast food, Poles since the end of communism in general have eating alot of food because we can mindset now

  5. Zero exercises and horrible diet. And people think about the retirement at 65… good luck.

    ![gif](giphy|QBurxgHmS9EPCYf8ej)

  6. We are just getting ready to become 51st state of USA. We want to be loyal and fit in the statistics !

  7. >So is it diet? Portion sizes? Alcohol consumption? A cultural attitude of “celebrating” everything with excess food and drink? Or a lack of awareness and social pressure when it comes to health and fitness?

    All of the above to some degree. Plus, reliance on cars. The most walking a lot of people do in a day is : From their place to the car and from their car to work. Repeated in reverse at the end of the day. You don’t know anyone with the: ” I would love to exercise, but I work and I am tired, so I rest all weekend. I am to busy.” mindset? I know plenty. People often look at me like an alien if I’d rather take 15 minute walk rather than a car to go shopping.

    And who can forget the classic, jolly : ” A belly comes with age! Nothing you can do! ( proceeds to take high blood pressure pills)”

  8. In addition to the points here, most Poles are not big vegetable eaters, unless they’re in mayonnaise. Vegetables are important in controlling calorie intake and we really don’t eat enough of them

  9. It’s all dem der imergrants!! Takin’ all’re jobs ‘n makin’ us fat!!

  11. I’m gonna say something possibly controversial and not based on any data except my own experience.

    A lot of it is due to abuse. In my class 2020 in high school alone no matter if they were from rich or poor backgrounds more than 3/5 classmates were dealing with abuse in their homes SA,beating,drug and/or alcochol problems in parents/siblings and mental abuse.

    As well as Ptsd rates in poland are very high and most commonly picked up coping mechanisms is alcochol which has lots of calories (my classmates me included used to pre most of our classes with shots of vodka). with as well as eating disorders like binge eating or anorexia with bursts of alcohol abuse causing jojo effect and making people gain more weight.

  14. Increasing wealth effect, I would guess. Like Germany in the Wirtschaftswunder years.

  15. Going by any McDonalds look at the drive thru full of cars. Full Americana.

  16. I live in Poland and 90% of woman I see are not overweight. I see overweight men more often but its rarely extreme, you know, some dad bod, that’s it usually.

  19. From my personal experience there are two overlooked factors to this:

    1. People will absolutely hate you and won’t give you a break if you’re in good shape effortlessly. You only get a pass if you’re torturing yourself in the gym or jogging (then you’re just put in different category and get bullied for different things). Generally being joyful or having light life are a crime in Poland.

    2. Plenty of meds cause obesity and Poles eat pills like candy. You can sweat as much as you want, fix everything in your head but unless you address the damage done by medication and fix it you may be condemned to staying at least chubby forever.

  20. It is modern diet. People stopped eating eggs in the morning, and meat with vegetables for dinner. Instead they eat sandwiches, toasts, corn flakes or oaties. And drink sugary fluids like juice, coke and beer. Empty callories keep you hungry, body craves something substancial so you top it up with snacks. Eating and snacking all day, your blood is full of sugar from carbs, and insulin.

    I blame food industry and commercials. People are fooled by trends industry creates. Its time to go back to diet from century ago. Or 12k years ago even better.

  22. From my observations:

    1. majority of Poles either don’t care about food quality or they are too tired and broke to cook healthy but cheap meals. Glucose-fructose syrup is everywhere in the products on the store shelves.
    2. from your childhood, you’re basically conditioned to eat a lot and all the time. Eat because grandma will be sad. Eat because aunt brought cake. Eat because mom cooked 20 dishes for Christmas/Easter and it must not go to waste.
    3. Also – try walking down any major city street and pretty much every small kid is eating something, usually some corn puffs, sweet buns, pretzels or whatever snack. No wonder if they’re conditioned to be eternally eating something, they go XXL real quick.
    4. traditional Polish cuisine is rather heavy. Almost every adult Polish guy drinks a lot of beer, too.
    5. car worship – we’re getting closer and closer to Americans there. Back in my day, it was practically unheard of to be driven to school by your parents. Nowadays, it’s the kids who walk to school that are in minority.
    6. People just drive everywhere instead of walking when possible, and that shows.

  23. The default Polish diet is pure garbage, now combine this with heavy alcohol consumption and a sedentary lifestyle

  24. I’m currently on my second visit to Poland for the year (I love this country, it’s fantastic) and while I really love food and drinks here, heavy alcohol consumption and carb heavy foods paired with dense sauces like mayo just make people … big.

    That said, you guys seem to be generally move fit than people in the Balkans, where people are generally stocky and even fluffy.

    Also vodka in Poland actually has flavour unlike that toxic liquid they serve in North America.

    Anyway, BIGOS AND PIEROGI ARE WORTH GETTING FAT FOR! NIECH ŻYJE POLSKA ❤️

  25. fuk, I found this post while eating my fav kinder chocolates

  27. It’s because of the 7 price tags per product in stores I bet.

  28. Well, to be fair, BMI is kinda useless at indicating anything serious. Doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exists, I genuinely don’t know. I’m just sick of people treating this numbers like they actually mean something.

  30. As long as we keep Poland white. It’s okay. We can be fat and white.

  32. Poland is adopting Western modern standards of self care. 

    This could easily not be an issue if Poland had a culture of fat shamming like Japan does.

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