A leading obesity doctor has suggested that the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci's iconic 16th-century masterpiece, depicts a woman who was overweight and potentially suffered from health issues such as high cholesterol or an underactive thyroid.
Dr Michael Yafi, a paediatric endocrinologist at the University of Texas Houston, presented his research at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul. He argued that in the past, obesity was often portrayed positively in art, symbolising wealth and beauty, whereas modern standards have shifted towards thinness.
Dr Yafi noted that the Mona Lisa, believed to be Lisa Gherardini, shows excessive body fat. He suggested a simpler explanation for her appearance: she had given birth to four children and may have retained weight from pregnancy. He also mentioned that other theories propose she had hypothyroidism, a condition that can cause weight gain, fatigue, and depression.
The expert drew parallels with historical figures such as composers Bach and Handel, who were depicted as overweight and likely had type 2 diabetes. He also predicted that future art may reflect the current trend of weight loss drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy, leading to depictions of women with gaunt 'GLP-1 face'.
The Mona Lisa, completed in the early 1500s, hangs in the Louvre in Paris and was insured for nearly £54 million in 1962, a record at the time.
