People with obesity have been illustrated by artists throughout our modern cultural history. Who would not recognize the clearly overweight Milon Venus or obese women in paintings by Rubens? These people, however, were rather rare exceptions during times when labour required physical work and food shortage was much more common than in the present. Although we lack specific data, it is likely that the industrial revolution together with improved food hygiene were associated with an increase in the prevalence of obesity at least among those whose labour was physically less demanding.