ABSTRACT
Hunter-gatherer societies seem to have been free of obesity. However, a few fat individuals have been found in most settled communities from early history, suggesting that the capacity of the body to store fat was a significant factor in human evolution. The prevalence of obesity increased as an economic surplus allowed the emergence of a ruling class and their immediate attendants, with no imperative for such individuals to engage in vigorous physical activity. Nevertheless, widespread obesity is a feature of recent decades. Available evidence suggests that the main cause has been the decrease of habitual physical activity to a level that is inadequate to match daily food intake. This chapter seeks evidence on the prevalence of obesity, public attitudes to excess weight, and treatments proposed in various societies through to the Victorian era. Pertinent evidence is drawn from the nutritional status of communities that still follow a Neolithic lifestyle, archaeological artefacts, and written records that include population data on height and body mass.
