William Banting

William Banting (c. Dec 1796 – March 16, 1878) was an English undertaker who popularised one of the first low-carbohydrate weight loss regimens through his pamphlet Letter on Corpulence. Learn his life story, diet philosophy, impact, and memorable reflections.

Introduction

William Banting is not a household name today in the same way as many scientists or physicians, but he holds a singular place in the history of dieting and health culture. A London undertaker by trade, Banting became famous not for his funerals, but for his battle with obesity and his self-published pamphlet Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public (1863), which set out a dietary method that limited starches and sugars. His name even gave rise to the verb “to bant” and the term “banting,” once used for dieting in general.

Though Banting was not a doctor or scientist, his personal experiment and public letter resonated widely, influencing later low-carbohydrate diet movements and popular notions about fat, diet, and discipline.

Early Life and Family

William Banting was born circa December 1796 in England. The exact place and family details remain relatively obscure in public records, but archival authority records list him as “Banting, William (c. 1796-1878), upholsterer, funeral director and writer on diet.”

He married Mary Ann (his wife) and had a daughter, Amelia. In due course, he was buried alongside his wife and daughter at Brompton Cemetery, London.

The Banting family business, based in St. James’s Street, London, was a prestigious funeral undertaking enterprise. It served many high-profile funerals, including those of royalty and dignitaries.

Professional Life & Undertaking Career

Though Banting is best remembered today for his dietary “invention,” in his lifetime his main profession was that of undertaker and coffin maker. The business was well-known; as undertakers to the Royal Household, the Banting firm conducted funerals of King George III (1820), King George IV (1830), and many other aristocratic or state funerals.

His position in that trade gave him social standing and contacts, but it was his personal struggle with corpulence (obesity) that eventually made him known beyond funeral circles.

Health Struggles & Decision to Diet

By the mid-19th century, Banting had grown severely overweight, and his health was suffering. He found it increasingly difficult to perform simple tasks—he wrote about being unable to tie his shoelaces, needing to go downstairs backwards to lessen strain, struggling with breathing, joint pain, and general discomfort.

He had tried many standard remedies of the time—fasting, exercise, spas, reducing food, etc.—but these efforts had not delivered successful or sustainable weight loss.

At his request, he consulted Dr. William Harvey (of Soho Square), who advised a dietary change focusing on restricting sugars and starches. This advice likely drew on medical thinking of the time, including some influence from dietary approaches in diabetes.

Letter on Corpulence and Diet Philosophy

Publication & Format

In 1863, William Banting published Letter on Corpulence, Addressed to the Public, at his own expense, as an open testimonial about his journey and dietary method. The pamphlet was not enormously long—its power lay in its straightforward, personal narrative style. Because of its popularity, subsequent editions were published by Harrison in London; Banting did not keep profits but donated them to charity.

In the pamphlet, he recounted his prior failed attempts at weight loss, and then detailed the dietary regimen that succeeded.

Core Recommendations

Banting’s key dietary rules included:

• Avoid starch and sugar (i.e. bread, potatoes, sugar, beer)

• Also limit or avoid milk and other easily digestible carbohydrate sources.

• He ate meats, greens/vegetables, fruits, and dry wine (in moderation).

• He emphasized monitoring results and adjusting as needed—if weight increased, he would abandon a component that caused it.

Banting believed that certain foods, though harmless in youth, became injurious in advanced life—hypothesizing that sugars/starches were “prejudicial in advanced life” to health.

His pamphlet emphasized that results could become “palpable within a week,” which served as encouragement to persevere.

Legacy, Influence & Criticism

Influencing Diet Culture

Banting’s pamphlet struck a chord in Victorian society. The term “banting” became widely used in the English language for dieting; in Swedish, “banta” still means “to diet,” and “bantning” means dieting. His work is often cited as a precursor to low-carbohydrate diets such as Atkins and later ketogenic trends.

In medical and nutritional histories, Banting is referenced as an early influencer in the notion that carbohydrate restriction can reduce weight. Some modern proponents of low-carb diets still cite Banting’s pamphlet as a historical touchstone.

Gary Taubes’s Good Calories, Bad Calories begins with a discussion of Banting’s role in diet history.

Criticism & Limitations

However, Banting’s approach was not without its critics, both in his time and retrospectively:

• Scientists and physicians questioned the scientific grounding of his claims, seeing them as anecdotal rather than rigorously tested.

• His strategy worked for him personally, but it’s unclear how broadly applicable it was across diverse bodies and metabolisms.

• The absence of modern controlled trials means his method sits in the realm of early health experimentation rather than established medical doctrine.

Nevertheless, his attempt to publish personal health data and interpret diet in public language was novel for his time and presaged later health and self-care writings.

Famous Quotes & Reflections

Though Banting was not primarily a writer of aphorisms, several passages from his Letter on Corpulence are often quoted or paraphrased:

• “My other bodily ailments have become mere matters of history.”

• “I am most thankful to Almighty Providence for mercies received, and determined still to press the case into public notice as a token of gratitude.”

• “Experience has taught me to believe that … these human beans are the most insidious enemies man … can possess.”

• “At one time I thought the or of the Lancet would kindly publish a letter from me … but … I doubted whether so insignificant an individual would be noticed.”

• “I am now in that happy comfortable state that I do not hesitate to indulge in any fancy in regard to diet, but watch the consequences … and do not continue any course which adds to weight or bulk and consequent discomfort.”

These lines show his earnestness, humility, and self-monitoring spirit in documenting his health journey.

Lessons from Banting’s Example

1. Personal experiment can spark public change
   Banting’s willingness to document his own struggle, experiment with diet, and publish candidly paved a path for others to consider dietary self-regulation.

2. Theory evolves from anecdote to science
   His work reminds us that many health ideas begin in personal narrative before evolving (or being discarded) via scientific method.

3. Language shapes culture
   His name becoming a verb—“to bant”—shows how a singular act can influence how people talk about health and dieting across generations.

4. Moderation and observation matter
   His principle of watching consequences and modifying diet accordingly offers a practical ethic for personal health decisions.

5. Be wary of overextension
   While Banting’s approach worked for him, it might not suit everyone; historical methods must be evaluated critically in modern context.

Conclusion

William Banting’s legacy is a curious blend of modesty, self-experimentation, and cultural influence. An undertaker by trade, he turned his personal struggle with obesity into a pamphlet that reshaped how many thought about dieting. While his ideas fit a 19th-century worldview and lack the rigorous backing of modern science, his impact is undeniable: he gave birth to the concept of dieting as a public, shareable practice, and his name lives on in linguistic and nutritional history.