Americans had cars to drive them places instead of walking, and plenty of fattening foods to eat in the 50’s and 60’s, just like today. With this in mind, what are the specific factors that has caused obesity rates to explode in the last 10-20 years or so vs happening 40-50 years ago? What’s the main difference in lifestyle between the 50’s and 60’s and today that’s making us so much fatter?
No-one knows for sure, as evidenced by the current furious public debate on this exact topic. I predict you’ll get lots of opinions here though 
In fact the rate of getting fatter has increased in just the last decade, so what ever it is - if there is only one factor - is operating even more fiercely now than previously. One thing is clear, the prevalence of “low-fat” foods has not helped, and in fact is one suspect in exacerbating it.
If - and I take no position on this - Atkins has it right, then the move away from high-protein, high-fat diets to high-sugar high-carb diets fits the bill quite well.
My guess is a combination of factors:
We are a more suburban nation and suburban people tend to be fatter than urban people. http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/09/10/Consumers/suburb_health030910
In addition to TV, computers and video games are now major sources of recreation.
People are less likely to prepare their own (or their children’s) meals from raw ingredients.
The prevalence of soda. The other big thing is corn syrup is being put in all sorts of foods to make them more sweet.
The prevalence of soda. The other big thing is corn syrup is being put in all sorts of foods to make them more sweet.
Frelling hampsters. Sorry about that.
I expect part of it is simply a shift in demographics: the baby-boom generation is getting older and fatter, and there aren’t as many young, thin people to balance things out. The one big lifestyle change that I can think of is the fact that we’ve become extremely paranoid about allowing children to play outdoors without adult supervision, which probably forces them into more sedentary activities.
It’s tempting to blame it on a lack of exercise, but the people of the 1950’s didn’t get that much exercise either.
Two suggestions:
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The people of the 1950’s were more “blue-collar” than the people of today, and, therefore, tended to engage in more manual labor.
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The general cheapness and increased access to various foods makes it easier to eat more than before.
Junk food, fast food, convenience foods, I think.
How about this hypothesis: The suburban culture started in the 50’s. Everyone born since the 50’s has a tendency to be overweight. Everyone before has a lesser tendency. So it stands to reason, over time, the obesity numbers will naturally go up. Because the old thin people are dying.
What about protion size? I recall reading somewhere that the sizes at fast food restaurants and regular restaurants have gotten larger.
The Sunday NYT Magazine had an article about this a week or two ago. An interesting theory is that lower wholesale prices for corn syrup (and certain other staples) in the US results in a somewhat strange economic situation. Instead of lowering retail prices and keeping portions the same, food companies (grocers, restaurants) are more inclined to keep prices the same and increase the portion size. I think it makes a lot of sense.
I’ve often wondered if our mothers’ admonishions to “clean your plate,” has had a detrimental affect on our waitsbands. Faced with a mountain of food left on the plate, many people I’ve eaten with express unease at the waste, and feel compelled to eat more than they should.
The definitioon of obesity may be different that the definition in the 50’s.
Think about a woman wearing a size 14 today. That is considered a plus size. She’s ‘so fat’ that she does not fit in the ‘regular’ size range.
Marilyn Monroe at her prime was the equivalent of a size 14 in today’s sizing.
Yes there are a lot of large people. There were then, too. Lots of them were productive and living normal lives, because nobody was beating them ower the head with the idea that they were fat, therefore worthless.
Every culture assimilated into the US begins to produce larger people. Taller, bigger boned, even fatter. Lots of reasons mentioned, and most would test out as valid. But, the definitions have changed with perception.
I just read an article (can’t cite; try AP or reuters) that showed a horrific number of American infants are being fed soda and french fries. There may be changes in eating habits as well as activity level (e.g., I have an electric mower, dishwasher, and no hard floors to mop) over time. There has also been an increase in “low fat” diets, and there is now some evidence that diets higher in fat may help balance the higher refined carbohydrate diets Americans enjoy.
I would agree, and add the increased serving size. For years, Coca Cola came in six ounce bottles only, then Pepsi introduced the 12 ounce bottle for the same price. There has been an arms race worthy of the Cold War to offer larger and larger servings. A McDonalds Super Size Coca-Cola (42 ounces) has almost as many calories as a Quarterpounder hamburger.
It’s probably a combination of less exercise and bigger portions, but I have to add one data point. My GF lives in Manhattan, and I get the opportunity to go down there rather often, and I do a bit of people watching… Ok, I look at the hot chicks on the street. Anyway, I notice that there are really very few obese people on those streets.
It could be selection bias, but I think that Manhattanites tend to be quite a bit slimmer than their country cousins. Walking EVERYWHERE will kind of do that to you. Up here in the 'burbs, I walk NOWHERE, I’ll drive from one end of a shopping center to the other, just because it’s easier.
Oh, come off it. Don’t blame bigger portions, people are actually eating more, ok? They eat it and they don’t do the work required to justify eating what they do.
There are many different theories over why this has come to be, larger portions causing anxiety and the proliferation of soda being some of the most recognized. However, it comes down to the individual, and each person who is fat will have a different reason.
** thatDDperson** mentioned that the standards of obesity might have changed. I admit that the standards of attractiveness may have changed, but I don’t see anyone in the old photos who would get stuck in a supermarket door like some people today. If anything, the social standards have relaxed.
I have mentioned this point in other threads, but…
Our society, by historical standards, has become increadibly wealthy, even by comparison with the '50s. The decline in the relative price of food, the availablity of sedentary diversions, the increasing amount of “service work” vs. pick-and-shovel manual labor, etc., etc.
It would be surprising if we weren’t getting fat…
You can read the NYT article, which connects some current trends related to obesity with an oversupply of corn, here: