Examining iconic artworks like Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa could offer doctors a fresh perspective on obesity , potentially fostering less judgmental attitudes, an expert has suggested.

Dr Michael Yafi, a paediatric endocrinologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, posits that the subject of the Mona Lisa may have been overweight following multiple pregnancies .

For centuries, obesity was often perceived as a symbol of prosperity and wealth, he said.

Looking ahead, Dr Yafi predicts that gaunt faces resulting from rapid weight loss, spurred by modern drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro , could soon be featured in contemporary art.

His insights were shared at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.

“Corpulence was long a sign of prosperity, wealth, high social status and physical strength,” he said.

“Men with obesity were portrayed as heroes, leaders, royals and nobles and women with excess body fat were symbols of beauty, fertility and prosperity.”

The subject of the…