Why were Americans of all ages so thin during the 1960s and 1970s?

[Anonymous]

Complex question. I know.

Please share your theories as to why.

[Anonymous]

Smoking. No snacking.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I am 50. We ate junk food all the time. Twinkies, super sweet cereal, cokes, Kool-aide, ...... We weren't fat because we were active all the time. It really is that simple.

[Anonymous]

People ate far less processed food. Sugar wasn't snuck into everything.

[Anonymous]

The majority of Americans today are overweight or obese.

A few decades ago they were normal size, not thin.

I’m sure you know this but want to troll around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People ate far less processed food. Sugar wasn't snuck into everything.

Part of it is this. People did eat junk food, but there wasn't as much sugar in regular processed food, because high fructose corn syrup was not so cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
The majority of Americans today are overweight or obese.

A few decades ago they were normal size, not thin.

I’m sure you know this but want to troll around.

No. They were quite thin. Maybe it was the way the clothing was cut? I do not know because I was not alive during those decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I am 50. We ate junk food all the time. Twinkies, super sweet cereal, cokes, Kool-aide, ...... We weren't fat because we were active all the time. It really is that simple.

Yes.

The 70s diet was horrible compared to today.

But most families had only one car so people biked and walked many places. We spent all day outside playing, running around, climbing trees, swimming.

Most people did not have AC so inside was HOT over the summer.

And lost of adults smoked in addition to being more active.

[Anonymous]

They certainly ate crap too. But most likely in smaller quantities. I have a feeling it was combo of just eating LESS in general and also not sitting at a computer all day. You got up and TALKED to people in person at the office.

And yes, everyone smoked.

[Anonymous]

More activity, due to:

Kids went home after school and played outside. Now they are in organized after care where there is some outside time, but not nearly as much and a much more constrained space.

Only electronics was tv, and there were only a few options of what you could watch at any given moment.

Less time sitting in cars due to less of a suburban sprawl.

[Anonymous]

The diet may have been horrible (and I think it was Kool Aid, twinkies) but I simply think people didn't eat ALL THE TIME as they do now. Maybe it's just the people I'm around, but I feel like people are CONSTANTLY snacking. Oh gotta have that hummus or string cheese bc PROTEIN even though I just had a lunch of leftover entrees 2 hrs ago.Uh -- you're sitting at a desk all day, not digging ditches. Sure they may have consumed empty calories in their snacks back then but I think people continuously consume more calories now.

[Anonymous]

People then were normal-sized...

[Anonymous]

Bigger portion sizes today, and people eat out/get takeout much more frequently now vs. then.

[Anonymous]

I have been told roller skating is good exercise and back then everyone skated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I am 50. We ate junk food all the time. Twinkies, super sweet cereal, cokes, Kool-aide, ...... We weren't fat because we were active all the time. It really is that simple.

Yes.

The 70s diet was horrible compared to today.

But most families had only one car so people biked and walked many places. We spent all day outside playing, running around, climbing trees, swimming.

Most people did not have AC so inside was HOT over the summer.

And lost of adults smoked in addition to being more active.

This. I was a nerdy, bookworm-type but even I was outside playing all the time. I climbed up 20 feet into trees, played kickball in the neighborhood, rode my bike everywhere. My kids just don't do anything like that.