I call BS about the racial aspect of this. If you look at pictures from, maybe, the 1960s and before, you see very few "fat" people, and certainly no fat black people. I'm sure there were a few, but there were also a few overweight white people. It was a mark of honor for a wealthy man to be portly, because it proved his status.

We didn't have the processed foods back then, or drive thrus, although sugar was a huge deal and people were developing diabetes right and left in the 30s. We also didn't have that stupid food pyramid or a prejudice against healthy fats.

In general, the populace looked better than it does now. Clothes look better on a more slender body, and maybe the popularity of sweats is a direct consequence of all this. For all that weight seems to be so important to doctors and for health, we don't seem to care that much despite the proliferation of new diets and a bathroom scale in every pot.

Ours happens to be broken. I know that for a fact, even though it works for other people.