Obesity (yawn) epidemic: what about changed work patterns?

I'm part way through making Simplicity 6951, a child's top/very short dress which in the pattern is accompanied by matching frilly pants and a hat. The pattern was published in 1975 and comes from my Mum's collection. Given the date, I imagine I wore a version of this ensemble as a kindy girl.The fabric is darker in the photo than in reality, but even so, it is quite a dark print for Brighid. The top is reversible and the grey with mushrooms fabric of the pockets is the lining/reverse dress fabric. I'm hoping to press out a lot of the puckering around the armpits and neckline, but if not, then at least I'll learn something more about handling these shapes.

I bought the fabric in a sewing shop in Ilford, Essex, in 2003. It's taken a while to use it... I have a bit more of the lining fabric left. Rather than the frilly knickers, I might make some longer style shorts if there is sufficient fabric. I am, slowly, reducing the fabric & mending piles and creating some order in my part of the study.

On a different tangent, I read for the zillionth time this week about the obesity epidemic and how the world is about to implode under the increased weight of its wealthy, minority world citizens. I have no problem with the touting of the usual culprits of fast food and a loss of home cooking skills. But why do those articles never ever mention changing work patterns? When my grandparents were young, working class men did performed labour intensive, calorie burning jobs. Working class women washed clothes and houses without automatic washing machines or vacuum cleaners. Now, many people are unemployed and the gadgets available to clean a house and tackle laundry mountains make relatively light effort of the jobs. Just saying...

Comments

Megan said…
I've been reading about NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis - flash eh?) which is essentially the increase in energy use we get from all the movement that isn't classed as exercise (pretty much anything that isn't sitting at a desk, blobbing on the couch, watching tv and sleeping). NEAT makes up a huge proportion of most people's energy expenditure - and yet many (most) campaigns aimed at mitigating the 'obesity epidemic' promote vigourous exercise and class anything not described as 'moderate or vigourous exercise' as 'sedentary'..... go the pottering about I say!
September 15, 2011 at 4:07 PM
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