The problem of obesity would be thought by most people to be a fairly recent phenomenon, a product of Western society having the affluence to over-indulge in an unhealthy diet while neglecting exercise.
Historical evidence suggests, however, that this is not actually the case. Artefacts from prehistoric times have been discovered depicting clearly obese humans and the condition has been remarked upon by physicians and others since the time of Hippocrates. Despite this, it is only in the 18th century that the modern history of obesity emerges, as the condition becomes common enough, especially among the privileged classes, for the medical profession to be required to take a serious look at it.
Moderation in diet began to be recommended but many were not prepared to change their eating habits and preferred to look for easier alternatives in the many remedies offered by pharmacies and purveyors of "quack" medicines. Perhaps, it could be said that the situation has not changed so much today.
The most influential of the early advocates for a sensible approach to food was William Wadd, born in London in 1776, the son of a surgeon. William also became a surgeon. He became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1801 and, twenty years later, was appointed one of the Surgeons Extraordinary to King George IV.
He first wrote about obesity in his Cursory Remarks on Corpulence in 1810. In this work, Wadd looks at the history of obesity, cites a number of notable cases and, bluntly, concludes that the condition is, simply, the result of "an over-indulgence at the table". The book proved very popular and went through four editions, being re-issued as Comments on Corpulency, Lineaments of Leanness, Mems on Diet and Dietetics, in 1829. As the title suggests, Wadd deals with problems of overweight and underweight and the means to counteract both conditions. His work was very influential and dieting became a popular concern in the Victorian era. As well as being a perceptive physician, Wadd was also a very skilled draughtsman and personally drew and engraved all the illustrations for his books.
Wadd has a very tragic association with Ireland. On 29th August 1829, he was killed instantaneously as a result of a carriage accident in Killarney while making a holiday tour.
Wadd's contribution to the history of medicine was recently recognised when the Wadd Society, dedicated to exploring the history of obesity, was launched at the International Congress on Obesity in Stockholm in July, 2010.