Inverse logic?

My friend quoted me in an incredible article she wrote: http://www.sheknows.com/articles/806259.htm

I was excited and started talking to my friends about it at dinner. We got into an interesting discussion on this generation vs last generation and Europe vs America.

When Marilyn Monroe was the epitome of a perfect body (at today's size 14) women were much thinner (as a population). Today, Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton are the coveted bodies (at size 0) and women are much fatter (as a population).

In Europe, people eat real butter, cheese, whole milk, full fat everything and are thinner than Americans who eat low and non-fat EVERYTHING.

HUH???????? Not too lucid with this one. Does anyone understand how we came to be where we are, and why/how we've gotten this way?!