America
is Getting Larger - Pants, That
is
Who isn't running themselves
ragged these days? With all our
modern conveniences you'd think
we'd have a minute to sit down
and rest, but no, there's always
something else that needs attention.
Between jobs, kids, taking care
of our cars, houses, each other,
it's a non-stop whirlwind of activity
and cooking has become one of
the expendible items.
So how did we get to where over
60% of the population is overweight?
Children are getting "adult
onset" diabetes and heart
disease? Some blame the lack of
exercise, and it is true that
we no longer have to perform backbreaking
physical labor just to clean our
clothes and homes. Let's take
a little walk down memory lane
and see what changes have ensued:
Obesity Timeline
- Ever Expanding Waist Line
1950 - 1960's - Mom's
coooking. Remember coming
home and saying, "What's
for dinner" and somebody
said, "Meatloaf," or
"Roast beef," and it
always smelled delicious? Dad
said, "What's for dessert,
honey," and everything was
just peachy. Things were just
swell, weren't they? Fast food
meant cold chicken. In the late
1960, it was a special treat to
go to McDonald's and we'd eat
in the car. Dang, that was great.
1970's - Women joining
the workforce in droves.
Still trying to cook at home (it
was their job), and men offering
to help by suggesting, "Why
don't you take a break? Let's
eat out tonight!" Dinner
out was a big treat and a welcome
relief. Many people still ate
as a family (dinner time, sat
at the table), yet more families
started eating out - if they could
afford it.
1980's - Women Tiring
of Doing it All. Uh oh!
Divorce and single-parent households
became the norm. Men and women
alike welcomed in-store delis,
ready-to-eat, and frozen foods
that rival anything they could
make at home. Cooking at home
seemed to take too much time and
effort, so the small additional
expense to buy ready-to-eat was
graciously accepted. Most people
were eating fast food a few times
a week, "It's for the kids,"
they'd say, and stopping regularly
to "pick something up for
dinner." Restaurants started
offering delivery. In 1985 in
all states for which there was
data available, the highest statistical
rate of obesity was 14%.
1990's - French fries
are the primary vegetable source
for American kids. Eating
out several times a week is common,
and only an expensive, fancy restaurant
is considered a special treat.
Food can be purchased nearly anywhere.
Starbucks are springing up on
every corner. By 1995
26 states showed rates of 15 -
19% obesity. Schools
partenered with fast food restaurants
putting McDonalds and pizza parlors
inside the school lunch rooms,
plus candy and pop machines in
the hallways. Drugs were commonly
prescribed for kids for attention
deficit problems, while no one
questioned the unlimited availability
of caffeine to be drunk between
classes.
2000's - Starbucks Nation.
You'll find coffee and
cookies in the bank (some have
full service), coffee houses inside
bookstores, McDonalds inside Wal-mart,
food is everywhere. Who cooks
anymore? By 2000, 22 states
had reached obesity rates above
20%, including one state above
25%. People eat out all
the time and think cooking at
home is too much trouble. Everyone's
gotten used to the additional
expense of convenience foods.
Where is all this leading us?
To Hugeville, that's where. Eating
out is killing us slowly with
our forks.
People, take back your knives
and forks and start eating at
home more often. You'll save enough
money to hire a cook now and then.
References:
Social
Issues Research Centre: Timeline
of Dietary Advice
Food
Timeline
Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP |
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