Cookbook recipes are a bad metric for this. First of all, eating habits have broadly changed - way more eating out and delivery, way less cooking. Second, many

Cookbook recipes are a bad metric for this. First of all, eating habits have broadly changed - way more eating out and delivery, way less cooking. Second, many of those jobs listed have become more sedentary - there is more driving, computer work, standing in elevators, and more work done by machines compared to 50 years ago, way fewer calories are burned. Third, portion sizes have changed - restaurants serve a ridiculous amount of food per person. > Why is obesity higher at lower altitudes if it's just about the availability of cars? In my experience people who live at altitude (e.g. Denver) tend to be more active as a rule, so lets say cultural forces. Could be because they burn more energy surviving too. > the epidemiological contour of the obesity epidemic points to a chemical contaminant that some people are exposed to more than others, not a cultural shift. Yeah, it's sugar. To be clear, I'm not ruling out the possibility that phthalates or something else do have an affect, but we can solve most of the problem right now by removing sugar and corn subsidies and redirecting the money toward community gardening and youth sports programs.