My family was overweight back as far as my great-great grandmother. The pictures look much like the examples above. They had a farm, and worked very hard, and were poor. Great- Grandma had a heart attack at 50. She died in the 1940's. I think there are more overweight people now, but we also think 35 is young and we're supposed to look the way we did when we were 18. (Believe me, I'm gonna try) But then 35 was considered middle aged, and I think it was accepted to be a little heavier at an older age, not just by your height/weight chart.
In ancient Greece didn't they have urns to purge into in puplic areas so they could keep feasting? I remember hearing that somewhere.