When we were young, it was quite easy to keep fit with lots of running about and carefree activity – there was no social media or other such distractions to drag us away from the busy times out with our pals! Three meals a day for most families were the norm and although much of the foods, post 2nd world war, could be described as slightly on the stodgy side, the lack of sweets, pastries and bags of crisps, pizzas etc ensured that on the whole, the fare was on the healthier side of the line. Another major factor in all this was the walking or cycling to school because it was only the very top social strata that was able to drive their children to school. Very few mothers had jobs to go to so there was no frantic school run involving that crazy dash for an hour before school started or finished, just to get near enough. In fact, in most cases, because it was a safer environment, children were able to walk to school with mother, and then when considered responsible enough, allowed to walk alone or more likely, with a gaggle of school pals.
These simple ways have gone by the board and families are so seriously occupied so much of the time with extra sports sessions, or music classes etc. that meal times are often taken on the hoof and there is less family time for simply sitting round the table enjoying a proper meal, able to listen to each other and enjoy that united family unit. There is much evidence now that because parents do not have the time to organise family meals in the same way, children are filling up on easy to grab stuff from the bakery counters at supermarkets whilst on the way to school, and not enjoying the discipline of a family breakfast of cereal or eggs. There is almost no playing outside in the street or in each other’s gardens now so no energy is being used up that way. Childhood obesity is quite a worry ad it leads to many problems later on into early adulthood. Healthier children are generally thought to lead to more satisfied and rounded adults with less stress related afflictions. A healthy lifestyle and appreciation of which foods are best for us is much better ‘drilled’ into a child’s awareness early on, rather than trying to retrain the brain when the damage has been done.