My, How Times Have Changed

As we enter Christmas week, I thought a light-hearted (no pun intended) look at how our societal views regarding body weight have changed might be fun. From an historical perspective, it is interesting to see how the scale has migrated from a novelty in the family room to the privacy of the bathroom. This article also seemed timely to me because when you review the health news highlights of the past year, 2008 might be labeled the "Year of Obesity." Back in the 1800's, the majority of people, other than the wealthy, still did physical labor and ate a fairly simple diet based on homegrown, whole foods for the most part. Obesity was not an issue, as it is in today's world of fast-food restaurants and lethargy.

However, as with most things in this day and age, it is not all that cut and dried. Yes, we have created a monster of disease and poor health with our modern diets and lifestyles. Yes, Americans are sadly obese as a whole. So the obvious answer to these concerns is lifestyle changes that lead towards wellness, right? Of course this is true, but in the wacky world of Big Pharma and commercial "medicine," more press has been given to drugs that allow people to eat whatever they want and skimp on exercise (and still lose weight) and other obesity "solutions" such as fad diet products that promise fitness but only expose individuals to more health risks. In addition, we have governmental agencies that are increasingly tolerant of genetically modified foods and who have an agenda to block natural supplements and make it difficult for citizens to get their hands on any real food at all. So, enjoy the article below, but also keep in mind that as we enter the New Year, the battle for healthcare freedoms is becoming more and more of an issue. If we as individuals and as a Nation are to find wellness, we must have access to the nutritional building blocks that are needed in order to accomplish this goal.


Once Upon A Time, Scales Were Displayed In Parlors, Not Hidden In Bathrooms
15 Dec 2008

Stepping onto a scale after a calorie-filled holiday season isn't an activity many 21st-century Americans relish.

But in the late 19th century, scales were all the rage at festive gatherings - the 1800s' answer to Guitar Hero.

"A family would think it fun to weigh themselves before and after a big holiday dinner to see how much they had gained," said Deborah I. Levine, Ph.D., an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry Fellowship Program in the Humanities and Social Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

"Knowing your weight was a novelty, a kind of parlor trick, before scales became widely available through mass production," said Levine.

Instead of being hidden away in a bathroom, home scales in the late 19th century often resided in prominent places in parlors, where family and guests would gather to socialize, likely alongside other popular 19th-century devices for body measurement. They were garbed to fit in their elaborately decorated environments.

"Parlor scales, which use the same technology that many doctors' office scales use today, often were made with highly polished wood, with inlay designs and semi-precious stones," Levine said.

However, in the early 20th century, attitudes about weight evolved. Medical and life insurance industries set weight "norms" for healthy individuals, and Americans began to see being over- or underweight as hazardous.

A person's weight became more than just a number, Levine said. It was health information, and having too big or too small a figure could mean serious consequences. A fun fact to be shared and compared among family and friends was transformed into a statement about a person's health and even moral character.

As the public's perception of weight changed, so did scales' places in fine society, Levine said. They were banished from their lofty spots in parlors to kitchens and finally, to bathrooms. Sequestered scales no longer needed to impress, and their ornate decorations gave way to the plain white or gray often seen today.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=133005