America’s health history is riddled with tobacco, poor diets and rampant disease, casting doubt on the notion of a bygone era of good health.
Gina Kolata reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- Historians challenge the idea of a healthier past, noting widespread malnutrition, heavy smoking and untreated diseases from the 19th century through the mid-20th century.
- Heart disease and cancer were rampant by the 1950s and 1960s, fueled by smoking and limited medical advancements, with death rates far exceeding today’s figures.
- Modern medicine, including statins and targeted cancer therapies, has dramatically improved outcomes, but health disparities persist and the U.S. spends more per capita on healthcare than any other nation.
Key quote:
“The idea that once upon a time all Americans were healthy is a fantasy.”
— Nancy Tomes, historian, Stony Brook University
Why this matters:
The phrase "Make America Healthy Again" might sound catchy, but let’s be real — it’s rooted more in nostalgia than fact. So, were Americans ever truly healthy? Probably not, at least by today’s standards. But reflecting on this history indicates how far we’ve come — and how far we still have to go. Endocrine disrupting chemicals represent one important, though lesser-known, area of research.
