Appetite and Its Discontents: Science, Medicine, and the Urge to Eat, 1750-1950

Elizabeth A. Williams' book "Appetite and Its Discontents" explores the history of inquiry into appetite between 1750 and 1950, tracing how scientific and medical concepts of appetite shifted alongside developments in physiology, natural history, psychology, and ethology. She argues that trust in appetite was undermined in the mid-eighteenth century when researchers claimed that science alone could determine which ways of eating were healthy and which were not.

Format: Hardback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2020
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

Why do we eat? Is it instinct, or some other impetus? Despite the necessity of food, anxieties about what and how to eat are widespread in our culture, and scientists and physicians continue to have shifting theories about the phenomenon of appetite and its causes and norms. In Appetite and Its Discontents, Elizabeth A. Williams charts the history of inquiry into appetite between 1750 and 1950, as scientific and medical concepts of appetite shifted alongside developments in physiology, natural history, psychology, and ethology. Williams argues that trust in appetite was undermined in the mid-eighteenth century, when researchers who investigated ingestion and digestion began claiming that science alone could say which ways of eating were healthy and which were not. Tracing nineteenth- and twentieth-century conflicts over the nature of appetite, Williams explores contemporary worries about eating through the lens of science and medicine to show us how appetite—once a matter of personal inclination—became an object of science.

Williams begins her book by tracing the history of scientific and medical ideas about appetite between 1750 and 1950. She demonstrates how these ideas evolved alongside developments in physiology, natural history, psychology, and ethology. Williams argues that trust in appetite was undermined in the mid-eighteenth century, when researchers who investigated ingestion and digestion began claiming that science alone could say which ways of eating were healthy and which were not.

Williams explores nineteenth- and twentieth-century conflicts over the nature of appetite, exploring contemporary worries about eating through the lens of science and medicine. She demonstrates how appetite—once a matter of personal inclination—became an object of science.

Williams also discusses the cultural and social factors that influence our eating habits. She argues that our culture is shaped by our history, our environment, and our social relationships. For example, our culture's emphasis on thinness and beauty may influence our eating habits, as we may feel pressure to eat in a way that is perceived as healthy or attractive.

Williams' book is a valuable contribution to the field of nutrition and health. It provides a comprehensive history of inquiry into appetite and its implications for contemporary concerns about eating. Williams' analysis of the cultural and social factors that influence our eating habits is particularly insightful, and her book offers valuable insights into how we can address these factors and promote healthy eating habits.

In conclusion, Appetite and Its Discontents is a fascinating and informative book that provides a comprehensive history of inquiry into appetite and its implications for contemporary concerns about eating. Elizabeth A. Williams' analysis of the cultural and social factors that influence our eating habits is particularly insightful, and her book offers valuable insights into how we can address these factors and promote healthy eating habits.

Weight: 798g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226692999