Yazar: William Banting

William Banting (1796–1878) was a notable English undertaker who rose to fame for his dietary advice following personal struggles with obesity. Not traditionally an author by profession, his work “Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public” gained significant popularity in the 19th century, essentially making him an accidental pioneer in dietary discussions. The book, published in 1863, outlined Banting”s own dietary experiences and the low-carbohydrate diet he followed to lose weight successfully after numerous unsuccessful attempts with other methods. His writing became so influential that “banting” entered the lexicon as a verb meaning to diet. Banting”s work is seminal in that it predates the modern diet industry and informs early discussions on the impact of carbohydrate restriction for weight loss. His clear, prescriptive writing style and the public”s testimonies of successful weight loss following his advice contributed to the wide circulation and multiple editions of his book. Despite his non-academic background, Banting”s practical impact on dieting and his straightforward narrative established him as an inadvertent, yet important, figure in nutritional literature and obesity management.