A Historical Take On Weight Loss Through The Centuries

Time, cultures, lifestyles and general mindsets: these are the factors that determine trends in our societies. In most cases, even trends can set standards, rules, laws, and human behaviour within communities. But not all trends last long enough to be established as an absolute idea that everyone can adapt despite changing times. Unlike what we have in the constitution or in human rights, some dictations of society fade away - and even transform into ideals that state the exact opposite of the original. One example of this trend is the human idea on the concept of weight loss.

Right now, the global way of thinking dictates that this idea pertains to health issues and concerns. But of course, with fashion and beauty always circulating within human interactions and activities, there is now more to weight loss than just staying healthy and watching nutrition intakes. Take a short walk in city streets and you will find an endless array of fitness centers, body contouring products, advertisements, slimming food merchandise billboards, cosmetic surgery and liposuction testimonial propaganda materials, and many more commercialization items of the well loved perfect human body figure that many would work for to attain.

Cosmetic surgery clinics have been gaining more revenue as time passes and modernization sets in. Obesity has been discussed in academic institutions, health clinics, community talks and other human interactive areas to discourage eating habits that may lead to the complication. With this much support for the idea, it is a surprising fact that once upon a time being plump and big was considered a status symbol.

Yes, as funny as it may sound, history tells us that societies considered the overly healthy as the utterly wealthy. This was due to the understanding that only the rich could afford indulgence in food and drink, thus displaying more curved figures. In addition to this, they also remained "inactive" as they had slaves and workers to do jobs for them. No rich royal had to scrub kitchen sinks and vacuum carpets. If one would take a close look at paintings of men and women from periods in the 17th and 18th centuries, the rich have been depicted as people with large bellies and full breasts. This was the symbol of the ultimate, prosperous lifestyle. Public figures showing the same wealth and prosperity through their physiques include Socrates, the image of Buddha, King Henry VIII, and President William Howard Taft.

But if today's weight loss idea really means being able to afford fitness center subscriptions, expensive diet plans, and surgical procedures, how come statistics reveal that technological advancements are now paving the way for idleness, thus increasing the chances of weight gain? Only the rich can afford technological devices that do the manual labour for the human being. Could it be possible for the trend to shift back to how it was understood before? Will modern society keep supporting easier ways to get the job done so much as to make it cause obesity? Well, we would just have to wait and find out.

1. Prev:The Importance Of Finding A PH Balanced Diet
2. Next:Do You Know When Weight Loss Sends Negative Signals?