| Hi Friend,
1967. The year I was born. In the UK, a new type of model becomes a fashion sensation — her name is Twiggy — and mini skirts continue to get shorter and ever more popular. Also during this year, discotheques appear across cities around the world and the Beatles continued to dominate the charts with the release of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band".
The movie industry also enjoys a boom. Hollywood releases include "The Graduate”, “Bonnie and Clyde" and "Cool Hand Luke" . On TV "The Fugitive" and "The Monkees" keep British audiences entertained.
But it wasn’t only entertainment that was different compared to today. The average UK man encountered changes, too…
Indeed, when compared to his present day British counterpart, Mr 1967 failed to measure up!
Or did he?
Tale of the Tape
For a start, the average 1967 guy in his mid-30s was short and thin. Standing just 5ft 7in tall, he struggles to tip the scales at 11st 8lb.
His chest is weedy too, as he barely breasts the tape at 38-inches and matches it with a 34-inch waist. He takes a dainty size seven shoe and his shirts contain a pencil-neck within a 14-inch collar.
But what about Mr Average 2017?
It may come as no surprise, but the modern-day male is bigger and beefier. Topping 5ft 10in, he nudges the needle of the bathroom scales to 13st 3lb.
His chest measurement has leaped by five inches to 43-inches along with his 37-inch waist which has also grown. His feet have filled out to a size 9 and his wider neck demands a 16-inch collar.
These contrasting figures, based on Government body shape data, were assembled by health and wellbeing company Forza Supplements.
Lee Smith is the managing director and had this to say: “It is extraordinary how much Mr Average has changed in the past 50 years. He has gone from being what we might consider a bit of a wimp these days, into a taller, more rugged muscle man — but with a noticeable beer belly.”
So what caused these extraordinary improvements?
“Now Mr Average is likely to exercise twice a week,” Lee Smith states, “and he is far more conscious of his body image. About 42% of British men lift weights at least once a month.”
Okay. That’s great news. But what about that beer belly?
Sadly, it seems a more affluent society is to blame.
Here is Lee again: “British men are far fitter than they were but they are also far fatter, because they are richer and they are eating and drinking far more than they used to.”
Oh, that’s disappointing.
So on closer inspection, maybe it’s the modern man who doesn’t quite measure up to his 1967 counterpart?
Either way, it’s fascinating to see how far Mr Average has come since the days of the mini skirt and the Beatles, and I can’t help wondering: Where will Mr Average be in another 50 years?
Until next time,
Squat for Glory!
Lee
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