"One wants to do everything and one can do nothing, one is always thinking that from to-morrow one will begin a new life, that from to-morrow one will set to work as one ought, that from to-morrow one will put oneself on a diet; but not a bit of it, on the evening of that very day one will over-eat oneself, so that one can only blink one’s eyes and can’t say a word—yes really; and it’s always like that.” -- "Hlobuev", Gogol, N. Dead Souls (1854)
Obesity uncommon back then, on average people where younger, and there where only ~1.2 billion people alive in 1854 vs 8 billion today. I would be surprised if obesity related deaths topped 100,000 / year back then.
Your comment better illustrates my thought than me. The thought being, while human nature may not change much across centuries, some vices like food and tech are now more refined in their distribution and effects than ever before.
The idea that things are similar but not the same.
:(
If you show anorectic models, they will inspire to anorexia. We all recognize that would be immoral. Now the inspire obesity, but because the pendulum is still swinging away from underweight, we don't recognize it for how sick it is.
Have a friend, non-obese and diabetic, who has learned precisely how much insulin to shoot up after various and sundry of his candy bars and caffeinated-sweet drinks. Impressive in a way.