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1. Introduction
2. Obesity is not a new problem - paleolithic times
3. Map showing locations of Venuses across Europe
4. Obesity is not a new problem - neolithic times
5. Venus of Catalhoyuk (Turkey)
6. Obesity isn't a new problem - mesoamerican times
7. Obesity is not a new problem - historical times
8. Hippocrates on treatment of obesity
9. Obesity is not a new problem - modern times
10. Malcolm Flemyng on obesity as a disease - 1760
11. William Wadd - 1810
12. Metabolism is like a burning candle
13. Not all obesity is the same
14. Harvey Williams Cushing
15. Classifications of obesity 1900-1950
16. Classifications of obesity 1950-1970
17. Body mass index and risk to health
18. Quetelet introduces the body mass index
19. Distribution curve for body weight
20. Relative risk of mortality - underweight
21. Relative risk of mortality - overweight
22. Mortality insurance data 1913
23. Framingham study - women
24. Cohort size, duration of follow-up & risk of mortality
25. Mortality ratios as a function of time
26. Is overweight a risk to your health?
27. Body mass index cut-points
28. Evaluation-clinical history
29. Vital signs
30. Utility and limitations of the BMI
31. Table of body mass index (BMI)
32. Classifications using BMI
33. Vital signs - waist circumference
34. Visceral fat distribution normal vs. type 2 diabetes
35. Summary - two new vital signs
36. Vital signs - blood pressure
37. Evaluation - laboratory measures
38. Laboratory measurements - body composition
39. Five levels of body composition
40. Body composition & energy content
41. Changes in fat volumes with age in men
42. Changes in fat volumes with age in women
43. Prevalence of obesity 1960 - 2002
44. Prevalence of obesity in different ethnic groups
45. Laboratory measurements - lipids and glucose
46. Clinical diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome
47. Laboratory measurements - C-reactive protein
48. Evaluation - clinical classification
49. Clinical classification - genetic
50. Heritability of body weight - twins
51. Heritability of obesity
52. Clinical classification - hypothalamic
53. Hypothalamic obese patient
54. Clinical classification - dietary
55. Clinical classification - endocrine
56. Polycystic ovary syndrome
57. Summary

Topics Covered

• Obesity is not a new problem
• Palaeolithic times: Venus of Willendorf
• Neolithic times: Venus of Catalhoyuk
• MesoAmerican times: Mayan figurine
• Historical times to 1500AD: Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Chinese and Tibetan, Indian and Greco-Roman
• Modern times: modern themes
• Not all obesities are the same: classifications
• Body Mass Index and risk to health
• Evaluation of obesity: clinical history, clinical classification, vital signs and laboratory measures
• Genetic causes of obesity
• Hypothalmic obesity
• Dietary factors
• Physical inactivity

Links

Series:

• Obesity

Categories:

• Genetics & Epigenetics
• Metabolism & Nutrition

Therapeutic Areas:

• Cardiovascular & Metabolic

Talk Citation

Bray, G. (2007, October 1). Assessment of obesity and classification of patients: historical perspectives and current practice [Video file]. In The Biomedical & Life Sciences Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. Retrieved April 15, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.69645/DTXX8908.
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Publication History

• Published on October 1, 2007

Financial Disclosures

• Prof. George Bray has not informed HSTalks of any commercial/financial relationship that it is appropriate to disclose.