Obesity has existed throughout human history. Archaeologists have even uncovered statues depicting extremely obese people dating from prehistoric times. One of the oldest such statues discovered is known as the Venus of Willendorf.

Found in the Austrian town of Willendorf in 1908, it dates back to about 22,000 B . C . and is of an extremely obese woman (although it is thought to represent fertility). Other ancient statues depicting obese people have been found in caves on the Mediterranean island of Malta dating back about five thousand years.

The ancient Egyptians frequently mentioned obesity in their papyrus writings on medical matters, and their temples had many statues of obese men and women. Historians say that the fact that statues of obese people were placed alongside statues of people with other illnesses shows that the Egyptians probably considered obesity to be a disease.

The...