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My parents had the same attitude and I'm from the UK. My Dad passed away at a younger age than his father from obesity related conditions and it was then that
by aembleton 10y ago
My parents had the same attitude and I'm from the UK. My Dad passed away at a younger age than his father from obesity related conditions and it was then that I realised that my parents generation (born in the 50s) were the first in history to have access to unlimited food.
Their own parents had instilled in them this view that you must finish your plate. They had experience of rationing. My parents continued this attitude probably because this just seemed like the thing to do but really this sort of thing seems like a bad thing when many of us are overweight.
- DrScump 10y agoTheir own parents had instilled in them this view that you must finish your plate. They had experience of rationing. In the wake of WW2 clear into the 1950s, there were food shortages in Europe, with hunger and malnutrition. Even Americans were guilted into not wasting food. For example, Allan Sherman (an overweight Jewish American comedian, sort of a Weird Al Yankovic of his era) said in a song monologue: 'My parents would say, "clean your plate; children are starving in Europe!" So, I would clean the plate. Four, five, six times a day.'
- aembleton 10y agoTrue, my Dad born in 1952 had a ration book for the first couple of years of his life. He didn't remember that but for his parents it would all feel too recent.