Women in 1965 Could Eat 200 More Calories a Day Than You

Women have come a really long way since the sixties—but in one way, we've backslid a bit: Forty-five years ago, women burned up to 225 more calories per day than they do now, according to a new Mayo Clinic study. (No wonder vintage clothes are so tiny!)

The researchers analyzed data from the American Heritage Time Use Study, which spans from 1965 to 2010, to see if mothers have become more sedentary over the decades. What they found: Modern women spend significantly less time being active, compared to 1960s gals. 

The decline was greatest among stay-at-home moms, whose weekly activity time dropped by 14 hours; working mothers' on-the-go time declined by an average of five to six hours.

This has led to a daily decrease in 63 to 225 calories burned.

Not surprisingly, the average woman's weight has risen as her physical activity has declined. In the 1960s, females of childbearing age weighed an estimated 136 pounds. Their average weight in 2010? 154 pounds—that's a nearly 20 pound increase!

Bear in mind, women weren't religiously hitting the treadmill 45 years ago. They were mostly being domestic—doing things like cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, and vacuuming. Now, women are allocating more time to things like, oh, watching an entire season of Scandal on Netflix—or as researchers call it, "screen-based media use."

We're not suggesting you cancel your Netflix subscription. But even if you hate housework—or will never be a housewife—you can still find ways to move more throughout the day. After all, any activity is preferable to more couch time as far as your waistline—and your health—are concerned.

 

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