7 Puzzles And Paradoxes To Twist Your Brain

2. The French Paradox

What is it?

So you would expect disciplines such as philosophy, logic and even physics to throw up the occasional paradox, but surely not biology? This isn't so much a logical puzzle to figure out, as a medical mystery.

The main thrust of the paradox is how exactly the French are so apparently healthy, with a low incidence of coronary heart disease, low obesity rates and a relatively high life expectancy, when they spend all of their time drinking, smoking, eating cheese and being generally French?

Medical researchers have been scratching their heads over this one for years and have got about as far as, "Well, it's because they're so bloody French aren't they?", but there must be something other than a wilful disdain for health advice that's keeping them going.

Sounds mad. What's the solution?

No one can agree. Some links have been made with moderate alcohol consumption and lower risk of heart attack (which is as good an excuse as any for that glass of wine), the link with resveratrol (found in red wine) and longevity, or a diet that, whilst high in fat, is mostly comprising of unprocessed foods.

Some think that it could be to do with a low-stress lifestyle, as the French take longer breaks, longer summer holidays, have a 35 hour working week, walk and bicycle regularly and spend more time with their families.

On second thoughts, who cares about the solution? Let's all move to France.