History : Obesity

Etymology

Obesity is from the Latin obesitas, which means "stout, fat, or plump". Ēsus is the past participle of edere (to eat), with ob (over) added to it.^[173] The Oxford English Dictionarydocuments its first usage in 1611 by Randle Cotgrave.^[174]

Historical attitudes

During the Middle Ages and theRenaissance obesity was often seen as a sign of wealth, and was relatively common among the elite: The Tuscan General Alessandro del Borro, attributed to Charles Mellin, 1645^[175]

Venus of Willendorf created 24,000–22,000 BC

Ancient Greek medicine recognizes obesity as a medical disorder, and records that the Ancient Egyptians saw it in the same way.^[168]Hippocrates wrote that "Corpulence is not only a disease itself, but the harbinger of others".^[2] The Indian surgeon Sushruta (6th century BCE) related obesity to diabetes and heart disorders.^[176] He recommended physical work to help cure it and its side effects.^[176] For most of human history mankind struggled with food scarcity.^[177] Obesity has thus historically been viewed as a sign of wealth and prosperity. It was common among high officials in Europe in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance^[175] as well as in Ancient East Asian civilizations.^[178]

With the onset of the industrial revolution it was realized that the military and economic might of nations were dependent on both the body size and strength of their soldiers and workers.^[81] Increasing the average body mass index from what is now considered underweight to what is now the normal range played a significant role in the development of industrialized societies.^[81] Height and weight thus both increased through the 19th century in the developed world. During the 20th century, as populations reached their genetic potential for height, weight began increasing much more than height, resulting in obesity.^[81] In the 1950s increasing wealth in the developed world decreased child mortality, but as body weight increased heart and kidney disease became more common.^[81][179] During this time period insurance companies realized the connection between weight and life expectancy and increased premiums for the obese.^[2]

Many cultures throughout history have viewed obesity as the result of a character flaw. The obesus or fat character in Greek comedy was a glutton and figure of mockery. During Christian times food was viewed as a gateway to the sins of sloth and lust.^[9] In modern Western culture, excess weight is often regarded as unattractive, and obesity is commonly associated with various negative stereotypes. People of all ages can face social stigmatization, and may be targeted by bullies or shunned by their peers.^[180]

Public perceptions in Western society regarding healthy body weight differ from those regarding the weight that is considered ideal  – and both have changed since the beginning of the 20th century. The weight that is viewed as an ideal has become lower since the 1920s. This is illustrated by the fact that the average height of Miss America pageant winners increased by 2% from 1922 to 1999, while their average weight decreased by 12%.^[181] On the other hand, people's views concerning healthy weight have changed in the opposite direction. In Britain the weight at which people considered themselves to be overweight was significantly higher in 2007 than in 1999.^[182] These changes are believed to be due to increasing rates of adiposity leading to increased acceptance of extra body fat as being normal.^[182]

Obesity is still seen as a sign of wealth and well-being in many parts of Africa. This has become particularly common since the HIVepidemic began.^[2]

The arts

The first sculptural representations of the human body 20,000–35,000 years ago depict obese females. Some attribute the Venus figurines to the tendency to emphasize fertility while others feel they represent "fatness" in the people of the time.^[9] Corpulence is, however, absent in both Greek and Roman art, probably in keeping with their ideals regarding moderation. This continued through much of Christian European history, with only those of low socioeconomic status being depicted as obese.^[9]

During the Renaissance some of the upper class began flaunting their large size, as can be seen in portraits of Henry VIII of England andAlessandro del Borro.^[9] Rubens (1577–1640) regularly depicted full-bodied women in his pictures, from which derives the termRubenesque. These women, however, still maintained the "hourglass" shape with its relationship to fertility.^[183] During the 19th century, views on obesity changed in the Western world. After centuries of obesity being synonymous with wealth and social status, slimness began to be seen as the desirable standard.^[9]