Tag: History of dieting

The modern unit of a food calorie, or kilocalorie, was originally a unit of heat used for steam engines in the 19th century. The journey of this physics term into a household health metric reveals the surprising story of where did calorie counting come from and how it shaped dieting for over a century.

The modern diet and weight loss market was valued at over $72 billion in 2021, yet the culture driving this industry has roots stretching back centuries. Unpacking the origins of diet culture reveals a tangled history of morality, pseudo-science, and commercial exploitation, rather than a single, easily identifiable figure.

The modern diet industry, valued at approximately $76 billion in 2022, didn't appear overnight, with the roots of diet culture in America tracing back to 19th-century moral movements and medical developments that first linked body size to character and virtue.

The term 'diet' originally stemmed from the Ancient Greek word *diaita*, which meant 'way of living,' not just restricted eating. Exploring when was diet introduced for weight loss reveals a fascinating evolution from holistic health practices to the restrictive, appearance-driven culture we know today.

Over 160 years ago, a prominent English undertaker named William Banting published a revolutionary pamphlet about his own dramatic weight loss, making him a figure many consider the father of dieting. This was a pivotal moment, as his detailed account, 'Letter on Corpulence', shifted weight management from a vague concept to a structured, low-carbohydrate approach that would influence generations.