Table 2.
Paleopathological studies associating DISH in adults with obesity.
| Author [Year] | No. Subjects | Year | Location | DISH Criteria* | Percent with DISH | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waldron [1985] [14] | 35 monks | 12-16th century | Merton Priory, Surrey, UK | Resnick | 8.6% | Monks were presumed to be well nourished |
| Rogers et al. [1985] [15] | 303 non-specified | Mediaeval | Various UK sites, including churches | “large flowing spinal osteophytes -typical of Forestier’s disease” | 2.3% | Probable mixed social status population - “control” group (includes 2 high SS clergy with DISH) |
| Bruintjes [1987] [16] | 1 high SS male | 10th century | Saint Servaas Basilica Maastricht The Netherlands |
Not known | 100% | |
| Mays [1991] [17] | Unclear number monastic skeletons 51 lay skeletons |
Mediaeval | Blackfriars Priory Ipswich, UK | 21 had “DISH”, 10 met Rogers and Waldron criteria none had DISH |
13.4% crude estimate | Skeletons examined from different grave sites showed high prevalence of DISH in high SS individuals |
| Costa and Weber [1995] [18] | 1 male of high SS | Renaissance | Basilica of San Lorenzo Florence Italy | Not stated – typical description | 100% | Another member of Medici family, obesity documented in writings and evident in portraits |
| Maat et al. [1995 and 1998] [9] [19] | 76 and 316 Friary skeletons | Mediaeval | Franciscan Priory Dordrecht The Netherlands |
Rogers and Waldron | 14.5% - 19% crude estimate | High prevalence of DISH in high SS individuals |
| Janssen and Maat [1999] [20] | 27 Canons | Mediaeval | Saint Servaas Basilica Maastricht The Netherlands |
Rogers and Waldron | 100% | High prevalence of DISH in high SS individuals |
| Vidal [2000] [21] | 99 non-specified | Mediaeval | Lorraine France | CrubÉzy | 2.8 - 3.7% | Likely mixed SS population, indicating a “control” population |
| Rogers and Waldron [2001] [8] | 192 low SS laymen 80 high SS males |
Mediaeval | Wells Cathedral and Royal Mint London, UK | Rogers and Waldron | Low SS = 3.1% High SS =13.7% P<0.001 |
High prevalence of DISH in high SS individuals – “comparative study” |
| Verlaan et al. [2007] [22] | 51 priests, monks, high status citizens | Mediaeval | Church of Our Lady Maastricht The Netherlands |
Rogers and Waldron | 40.4% 10 male, 5 female, 2 non-determinant |
High prevalence of DISH in high SS individuals |
| Giuffra et al. [2010] [23] | 2 males of high SS | Renaissance | Basilica of San Lorenzo Florence Italy | Rogers and Waldron | 100% | Members of Medici family, obesity documented in writings and evident in portraits |
*
See Table 2 for DISH criteria, NA = not applicable, SS = social status.