Cent Eur J Public Health 2004, 12(4):228-230

Obesity in Byzantine and in Modern Era, from a Public Health Perspective

Polychronopoulos E.1, Eftychiades A.2, Panagiotakos D.B.1, Chrysohoou C.3, Toutouzas P.3, Marketos S.2
1 Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Harokopio University, Athens
2 Section of History of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens
3 Hellenic Heart Foundation, Athens, Greece

Obesity is one of today's most serious and amplified public health problems. Surprisingly, obesity constituted a health problem through the Byzantine Empire (3rd to 15th century AD) as well; the extent of the problem was then very much alike to that one seen in modern industrialized and developing countries of today. In this report we perform an historical throwback in Byzantine years in order to explore the link regarding the aspects of obesity in these years and in modern era.

Keywords: obesity, Byzantine, medicine

Received: March 30, 2004; Revised: September 29, 2004; Accepted: September 29, 2004; Published: December 1, 2004  Show citation

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Polychronopoulos E, Eftychiades A, Panagiotakos DB, Chrysohoou C, Toutouzas P, Marketos S. Obesity in Byzantine and in Modern Era, from a Public Health Perspective. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2004;12(4):228-230. PubMed PMID: 15666464.
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