Even though it is unlikely that fashion houses define what is beautiful, the changing attitudes to fat people across the centuries indicate that there definitely is a socio-cultural aspect to beauty. In 15th century Europe, fat people were considered beautiful. In western countries today, fat people are considered ugly. Although some people have argued that the change has come about due to fashion houses using thin models, changes in the economy provide a more plausible explanation. In the 15th century it was only the rich who could afford to buy enough food to make themselves fat. Consequently, to be fat was a sign of wealth and prosperity. This image began to change as more of the population was able to buy food. Today, the image has turned completely upside down. In western countries today, the fattest people are often the poorest people. In government health statistics it is those people with jobs that involve manual labour, or who are unemployed, that are most likely to be overrepresented in statistics relating to overweight body shapes. As more and more fat people have become linked with low incomes, fatness has become an undesirable trait - even though the fat body shape is close to the average of the population. Nowadays, thinner body types are associated with money and prosperity, and as a result people strive to emulate them. ......