A variety of factors. I don't believe the body can properly digest all the preservatives and other additives in processed food. Also, beef, pork, and even turkey are injected with growth hormones because everything is profit motivated and we are eating it. Notice alot of teenage kids are taller and bigger than their parents now a days.
My personal opinion is it is due to all the fast food restaurants that have flooded the world in the last 30 years. People are busier and eat at these places all the time for convience. I was one of these people myself and being 6' 3" tall I had got up to 260 pounds and knew I had to do something. I stopped eating fast foods about a year ago and mostly drink diet drinks in this same time frame. I have not changed my exercise habits and due to my back injury my exercise has fallen off to almost nothing over the last 7 months. Today I weigh 208 lbs so I have a strong argument for my theory.
I really think it is a combination of all of that, and the readiness of products, that are making life lazier for people. I don't mean easier either, life is hard no matter how you look at it. Now, it's a matter of what a person wants for themselves, do they like the convenience of not having to do things manually, yes, but should they should do them that way, just for staying healthier. I hate conveniences a lot of the time. Other times, it's the first thing I go for, lol, can't deny that. I make dinner from scratch, why, because it's healthier for you, no box dinners here, and only on rare occasions. I have a healthy 4 children because of that, and activity.
Alot happened the last 30 years . 30 years ago you could walk and play with out worry's that some one would Rape , Kill or Kidnap your kid's . So the kid's dont run around like they did then . TV and Entertainment consoles are more of the kid's games, so they just sit there and dont move . Last but not least Fast-food has something to do with it too . In China and Japan people almost didnt know what a hart attack was since Mc-Donalds opened up there they have increased Hart attack's . So all together i thin it is a combo of it all .
Due to the advent of computers and television, we do not get the exercise at work or at home that we did 30 or 40 years ago. You don't see kids running around any more, and we certainly do eat more food and worse food. I don't think it has anything to do with pollution or chemicals in food, that's an easy excuse for our own Sloth and Greed!
It started when food became convenient, and at the same time the jobs (by and large) became less physically involved. Now we can eat massive quantities of dreadful foods on a whim and have virtually no physical activity. It doesn't help that we're doctoring up everything we can with unnatural and harmful chemicals, certainly, and the hormones that are in everything are definately a cause for concern. I think as a nation we need to learn how to eat and what to eat, and the types of foods that are healthy need to be made more plentiful and affordable. Why is it that you can buy enough noodles and white bread to feed a small country, and margarine to slather on top, but you couldnt buy enough fruits and vegetables to feed a family of four for a week without taking out a second mortgage?
