Stigmatization of obesity in medieval times: Asia and Europe.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the stigmatization of obesity in medieval times in Asia and in Europe.


METHODS
Literature review.


RESULTS
Obesity was stigmatized in medieval Japan in part, at least, because it was viewed as the karmic consequence of a moral failing in a Buddhist context. The stigma in Europe was based on the Christian deadly sin of gluttony.


CONCLUSIONS
Stigmatization of obesity is not new. It was foreshadowed centuries ago by attitudes deriving from then extant theories of the origins of obesity.
Stunkard
A J
AJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
LaFleur
W R
WR
Wadden
T A
TA
D001208:Asia; D002016:Buddhism / Q000266:history; D002835:Christianity / Q000266:history; D005060:Europe; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000266:history*; D013240:Stereotyping