We’ve learned a lot in a few generations, but it’s taking a lot longer to actually stop doing things that are bad for our health. We sure have discovered a lot of things that are bad for us over the last 50 years.
When today’s grandparents were growing up, the world was a Wild West of unhealthy choices.
You could smoke, drink, and eat with abandon.
These days, we have a lot more laws designed to nudge Americans to live their lives in a healthier way.
Here are 10 things today’s grandparents probably did back in their day — some of which many of us still do — before science figured out they were bad for us:
1. Smoked
In 1950, almost half of Americans smoked. Cigarette companies advertised that doctors smoked, and a majority of them did. But over the decades, scientists realized that smoking was causing cancer (most notably lung cancer) and heart disease. It can also cause birth defects if women smoke while they’re pregnant. Today, one in five American adults still use tobacco products.
Tech: 10 things today’s grandparents did that we now know are bad for you
