Were people thinner in the 60s & 70s or did the fashions of the time make it seem like they were?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is pencil thin.

I don't think she's pencil thin at all. I would just say slender.

[Anonymous]

Pencil thin to me is more like Taylor Swift's body, but to answer the OP, yes, we are fatter as a nation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was also much less fresh fruit available. Fruit is good for you but high in calories.

I had forgotten about that, remember that we rarely are fruit. It was considered expensive by my mom and only purchased when in season or some citrus in the winter.

In general, people were thinner but celebrities tended to just look like more attractive real people. Saw a rerun of some 70s singers and could not believe how "real" they looked, even with makeup available at that time. They were not so skinny overall, and did not look plastic (think Kardashians)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Jogging" became a craze in the mid to late 70s. The author of the book that started the craze was Jim Fixx.

I was born in 1969 and grew up in Fairfax County. I can think of fewer than a dozen truly fat (iand that's the word we used) classmates from ES - HS. That's it. They are memorable because it was so unusual to be overweight back then.

My parents smoked. Most all of my friends' parents smoked well into the 70s. And my friends' moms who smoked were all thin-to-skinny, come to think of it.

Clothing sizes changed. Call it vanity sizing, but my teenager big sister was so excited when she could finally wear a size 3. Together, we shopped for small teenage sizes of 5/7/9.

The ideal "model" figure was a "perfect size 8" which I don't even know the equivalent of today. Maybe a 6? It wasn't outrageously slim or tiny.

Emphasis back then was on an altogether different figure type for women. Small waist, "nice bustline" and consider that no women were particularly muscle bound or "cut." Think flat stomach v. A six pack.

Guys, young and older would walk around shirtless. Can't recall seeing any guts or rolls.

It was a "perfect size six" in the 80s. Don't you remember the Wakefield twins? lol. Now it's more like a two or zero.

If you want a real feel for what sizes used to be, go vintage shopping. Sizes were a LOT smaller 20-40 years ago. I even have anecdotal evidence. The GAP size 8 shorts I bought in 1997 still fit me, but I wear a 2/4 at the Gap now. Vanity sizing is real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Jogging" became a craze in the mid to late 70s. The author of the book that started the craze was Jim Fixx.

I was born in 1969 and grew up in Fairfax County. I can think of fewer than a dozen truly fat (iand that's the word we used) classmates from ES - HS. That's it. They are memorable because it was so unusual to be overweight back then.

My parents smoked. Most all of my friends' parents smoked well into the 70s. And my friends' moms who smoked were all thin-to-skinny, come to think of it.

Clothing sizes changed. Call it vanity sizing, but my teenager big sister was so excited when she could finally wear a size 3. Together, we shopped for small teenage sizes of 5/7/9.

The ideal "model" figure was a "perfect size 8" which I don't even know the equivalent of today. Maybe a 6? It wasn't outrageously slim or tiny.

Emphasis back then was on an altogether different figure type for women. Small waist, "nice bustline" and consider that no women were particularly muscle bound or "cut." Think flat stomach v. A six pack.

Guys, young and older would walk around shirtless. Can't recall seeing any guts or rolls.

It was a "perfect size six" in the 80s. Don't you remember the Wakefield twins? lol. Now it's more like a two or zero.

If you want a real feel for what sizes used to be, go vintage shopping. Sizes were a LOT smaller 20-40 years ago. I even have anecdotal evidence. The GAP size 8 shorts I bought in 1997 still fit me, but I wear a 2/4 at the Gap now. Vanity sizing is real.

This. I fit into my prom dress from 1985. (Yes, I'm OLD). It's a size 10--a 25 inch waist. I'm nowhere near a size 10 today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people only ate 1 meal a day back then

It was pre-super size at fast food places/big gulp.

When I was a kid in the 70s-fries were small at Micky ds.

Portions were smaller. People had more meals at home.

There wasn't fat-free foods. Those have been proven to have the opposite effect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ignorance on this thread is just STAGGERING.

The truth is that portion sizes were NORMAL back then.

A lot of truth to that.

no cell phones - so not as sedentary
kids walked to friend's homes and SOCIALIZED
dinner was around the table, not in a car on the way to soccer
kids played outdoors
moms were home and cooked healthy meals
kids brought lunches to schools
not as much processed food
fewer nights eating out, for special occasions only
smoking was big - a way to keep the weight off
some substituted a gin and tonic for a meal

Can you tell I was a child of the 70s? good times, people! I feel for the kids today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Was it Tab?

Tab was the "it" drink for skinny moms!