Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review
Abstract Background and Objective Obesity has historically been seen as a sign of wealth and social privilege, as can be inferred from studying the ancient works. We aimed to report the causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment among the authentic books of traditional Iranian medicine. Methods We...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Health Science Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1670 |
| _version_ | 1827631069232365568 |
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| author | Somayeh Marghoub Sarvin Sanaie Mark J. M. Sullman Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi Saeid Safiri Reza Mohammadinasab |
| author_facet | Somayeh Marghoub Sarvin Sanaie Mark J. M. Sullman Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi Saeid Safiri Reza Mohammadinasab |
| author_sort | Somayeh Marghoub |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background and Objective Obesity has historically been seen as a sign of wealth and social privilege, as can be inferred from studying the ancient works. We aimed to report the causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment among the authentic books of traditional Iranian medicine. Methods We searched the original versions of historical books and used a narrative approach to report the history of obesity. Results Obesity was often seen as an indicator of complete health. Obesity in healthy women was a requirement for beauty, based on descriptions of women from the Zoroaster period and from antiquity to the late Qajar period. This point of view existed during various ages. However, after the constitutional period, the view of obesity changed into that of an illness, due to modern ideas and offshore role models, especially during the Pahlavi era. This change led to serious attempts to treat obesity. Obesity is a critical problem that needs immediate attention to prevent substantial health consequences. Different medical paradigms have presented their criteria and foundations throughout history. The emphasis of Iranian alternative medicine was on prevention and the maintenance of health, with the next step being treatment. Prevention, treatment, consuming medicinal plants, and recovery have often been written about in the traditional books of medicine. Conclusions Throughout the traditional Iranian medical texts, physicians have made recommendations about maintaining an appropriate body weight. The best treatment was prevention and a healthy lifestyle. The treatments for controlling and restricting obesity included paying attention to nourishment, mobility, and even the habitat. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:15:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8b8920e9f44c4125bb9c1a0f1512f937 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2398-8835 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:15:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Science Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-8b8920e9f44c4125bb9c1a0f1512f9372023-11-29T04:12:34ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352023-11-01611n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.1670Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical reviewSomayeh Marghoub0Sarvin Sanaie1Mark J. M. Sullman2Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi3Saeid Safiri4Reza Mohammadinasab5Department of History of Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz IranNeurosciences Research Center Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz IranDepartment of Life and Health Sciences University of Nicosia Nicosia CyprusResearch Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz IranResearch Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz IranDepartment of History of Medicine, School of Traditional Medicine Tabriz University of Medical Sciences Tabriz IranAbstract Background and Objective Obesity has historically been seen as a sign of wealth and social privilege, as can be inferred from studying the ancient works. We aimed to report the causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment among the authentic books of traditional Iranian medicine. Methods We searched the original versions of historical books and used a narrative approach to report the history of obesity. Results Obesity was often seen as an indicator of complete health. Obesity in healthy women was a requirement for beauty, based on descriptions of women from the Zoroaster period and from antiquity to the late Qajar period. This point of view existed during various ages. However, after the constitutional period, the view of obesity changed into that of an illness, due to modern ideas and offshore role models, especially during the Pahlavi era. This change led to serious attempts to treat obesity. Obesity is a critical problem that needs immediate attention to prevent substantial health consequences. Different medical paradigms have presented their criteria and foundations throughout history. The emphasis of Iranian alternative medicine was on prevention and the maintenance of health, with the next step being treatment. Prevention, treatment, consuming medicinal plants, and recovery have often been written about in the traditional books of medicine. Conclusions Throughout the traditional Iranian medical texts, physicians have made recommendations about maintaining an appropriate body weight. The best treatment was prevention and a healthy lifestyle. The treatments for controlling and restricting obesity included paying attention to nourishment, mobility, and even the habitat.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1670cardiovascularhealth and historyherbal medicineobesityPersian medicinetraditional medicine |
| spellingShingle | Somayeh Marghoub Sarvin Sanaie Mark J. M. Sullman Seyed Aria Nejadghaderi Saeid Safiri Reza Mohammadinasab Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review Health Science Reports cardiovascular health and history herbal medicine obesity Persian medicine traditional medicine |
| title | Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review |
| title_full | Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review |
| title_fullStr | Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review |
| title_short | Obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age: A historical review |
| title_sort | obesity from a sign of being rich to a disease of the new age a historical review |
| topic | cardiovascular health and history herbal medicine obesity Persian medicine traditional medicine |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1670 |
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