In 1974, I was 10 and like most 10 year olds, I didn’t give any thought to what I ate – namely the caloric or fat content – nor did it ever occur to me how much physical activity I got. My parents didn’t concern themselves with it either, but back then it was a time when daily school lunches were prepared in the cafeteria kitchen and hour-long, required gym class were givens. Ugh, how I loathed the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, which was mandatory. Oh, and when “I’m bored” was uttered it was easily resolved by being told to “go play outside.” Eating fast food? Yeah, right. That just wasn’t an option, especially since my parents had six other children to feed and we couldn’t afford that “luxury.” But when it came to the weight of schoolmates, the heavy ones weren’t obese they were “fat.” And they weren’t bullied, they were teased.
Thirty-four years and a new century later, a lot has changed.
About:
Julia Ramirez is a former editor of Minnesota Parent.
