In this episode we explore the changing perceptions of fatness – from the fashionable fatness of the 1300s, 1400s and 1500s to the weight loss schemes of the 1700s and 1800s. The loaded history of language – from plumpness, to corpulence, to obesity – says a lot about the cultural perception of weight gain.

We also uncover some of the strange stories of the risks of corpulence – including spontaneous combustion!

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Credits

Researcher and presenter: Laura Burgess has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021 after completing her MA in History from UNC Charlotte.

Editor and producer: Sarah E Hayward completed her PhD in Museums and Heritage Studies at Kingston University London in 2023. She has been a volunteer with RCPE Heritage since 2021. She has a passion for archival research and she loves to explore creative ways to assemble and share the hidden stories she uncovers.

Researcher and presenter: Olivia Howarth is a volunteer with RCPE Heritage, a recently qualified archivist, heritage enthusiast and self-proclaimed lifetime nerd with an interest in medical history.

Historical clip: Dr James Kennaway