The long view : fat, food and fads.

Jonathan Freedland traces the life and work of George Cheyne, an 18th century doctor who wrote on diet and treated many rich and famous people. Like Dr. Atkins today, Cheyne was himself overweight. As well as devising various weight-loss plans, Cheyne also seems rather modern in that he blamed the causes of obesity on the sedentary and wealthy habits of the people of his time. The programme includes reports by other speakers on location in Cheyne's main haunts, London and Bath.