Famous Death Row Last Meals
Debunking Beer Can Chicken: A Waste Of Good Beer, And Dangerous
AP
Researchers (and brothers) Brian and Craig Wansink have examined 52 of the most famous images of the Last Supper -- where Jesus and his disciples observed a Passover seder, the last before the Crucifixion -- and found a sizable increase in portions over the past millennium, from the year 1000 to ten years ago.
Brian Wansink told the LA Times, "I think people assume that increased serving sizes, or 'portion distortion,' is a recent phenomenon. But this research indicates that it's a general trend for at least the last millennium." Wansink, who authored Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, and who has conducted many portion-size studies as director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, brought his years of nutrition research to the study. Meanwhile, his brother Craig, a biblical scholar at Virginia Wesleyan College, brought the religious studies chops to their analysis of what they are calling "history's most famous dinner party." Their findings, which have been published in April's issue of The International Journal of Obesity, showed that over the last 1,000 years, the main course size of the Last Supper increased by 69%, plate size by 66%, and bread loaves by 23%. The researchers used the disciples' heads as a point of reference, comparing them to their dinners. And the largest increases started about five hundred years ago -- right about the time Leonardo da Vinci finished painting his lush masterpiece, The Last Supper.
Why the increase in portion sizes? The researchers suggest they may reflect the better-fed lifestyles of the artists and their contemporaries, as time went by -- a result of "dramatic socio-historic increases in the production, availability, safety, abundance and affordability of food." Which sheds new light on today's overeating culture. As the Wansinks put it: "The contemporary discovery of increasing food portions and availability may be little more than 1,000-year-old wine in a new bottle."
Helen Lost 82 Pounds: 'Helping Others Is What Life Is All About'
'Undercover Boss': Top 4 Moments From Season 4 [VIDEO]
Amy Adams' Bikini Body Isn't What You'd Expect ...
Las Vegas Court Officials Accused Of Covering Up Sex Assault [VIDEO]
Walmart vs. Costco: How Do They Really Compare?
LOOK: Teen Was 'Shamed' By TSA Officer For This Outfit
Groomers Lose Dog, Claim Not Responsible
The Story Behind Shapewear: From Girdles to Spanx
LOOK: The Mystery That's Stumped Feds For DECADES
'Grease' Cast: Where Are They Now?
Microsoft E3 2013 Xbox liveblog!
PHOTO: Brazilian Officer Pepper-Sprays Female Protester In The Face
Baby Fox Asks for Help
Lost Dog Found 500 Miles Away
Couple Finds Ancient Skeleton In Backyard, May Have To Foot $5,000 Excavation Bill
Careless Chinese Baggage Handler Really Throws Himself Into His Work
14-Year-Old Faces Jail After Wearing Pro-Gun Shirt To School
Axl Rose Doesn't Look Like This Anymore ...
41 Busted In Child Sex Sting
Outrage Over Class Photo: 'Adults Should Know Better'
WATCH: Porn Star Says My Dad's Angry I Ruined Porn For Him
WATCH: The Amazing Moment A Trapped Fox Approaches Men For Help
Chris Brown's Girlfriend Sure Knows How To Wear A Bikini
Khloe's Workout Photos Are Pretty Alarming
Michael Hastings Dies In Car Crash At Age 33
7 Beautiful Actresses Who Were Told They Weren't Pretty Enough
Inside Kim Kardashian's Pregnancy Nightmare
Kim Kardashian's Baby Looks Just Like ...
LOOK: Can You Decipher This Girl's NSFW Yearbook Message?
PHOTOS: Michelle Obama's Bangs Spark A Major Backlash
Like Father, Like Son!
Tamra Barney Gets Married, See Her Dress!
3-23-2010 @2:14PM Ron Berberich said... You have to be kidding. Who cares what the plates show it is a painting and no more
Reply
3-23-2010 @2:47PM fred said... why do so called experts treat this mural as a photograph. Researchers know that DaVinci was somewhat of a joker and scoundrel. Now to treat this painting as something oter than a religious classic.
3-23-2010 @3:53PM Addison said... Plates reveal a great deal about local culture. For example, in Peru a roasted guinea pig (four feet up) is in the middle of the table!
(And the Catholic churches worship a Mary that looks like a mountain (Mother Earth?) in apparent respect for the Inca temples they are built upon.)
3-23-2010 @4:24PM BOB said... OBAMA , PELOSI , REID , ARE AMERICAN LAXATIVES IF THEY DON'T SCARE THE POOP OUT OF YOU NOTHING WILL
3-23-2010 @5:02PM amourdesbeauxarts said... Art has always been considered a reflection of life, and vice versa. Though I am not religious, I am an artist. There is much to be deciphered through the varied way artists have depicted this famous religious painting. It is all determined by how the individual artis was moved emotionally by the idea of The Last Supper. Whether or not you view it as a factual painting or fantastical painting, beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. The size, shape, and color of objects all have different meanings, and have obviously changed with the times. Religious paintings will always be controversial because not everyone shares the same beliefs, which is what makes our world such a beautiful place!
3-23-2010 @5:38PM kanew said... I think the point may well be that too many people are articulating meaningless observations with no difinitive purpose or solutions.
3-26-2010 @1:50PM theaskman said... This is one more way to squeeze job security from otherwise non-hireable geeks.. Also, it's another ploy to get the publics eye off of things needing much more serious attention, meaning that their (those in charge) are blatantly passing laws and such whether we the public back them or not and what is the news media doing? Keeping our minds busy contemplating mundane observations that have no true bearing on the real world today. Bah!.
3-23-2010 @6:49PM Charles said... DaVinchi said, " allaf you thata wanta to be ina da picture, get ona da odder sida da table".
3-23-2010 @6:58PM dino said... You would be hungrier, too, after 1000 years of just hanging around!
3-23-2010 @7:23PM Sharon said... Reply to 3-23-2010 @4:24PM
BOB said...
OBAMA , PELOSI , REID , ARE AMERICAN LAXATIVES IF THEY DON'T SCARE THE POOP OUT OF YOU NOTHING WILL
You obviously already have health insurance. Well, I was laid-off (under President Bush’s reign). Couldn’t afford the COBRA $1200/monthly when I was only getting $340 weekly unemployment and I am 50+ with pre-existing health problems. So although this healthcare bill in not ideally what I want it is better than what I have (so I’ll take it). Please don’t take it away with my sincere hope for medical care.
I wished that both Democrats and Republicans could have worked together on this, but they didn’t and the only reason they didn’t was because the Republicans are prostrating the American people for votes. And people like you who have health insurance would rather look the other way, while your fellow Americans are suffering. Yet, I find it so ironic how much was donated to people in various countries across the world for disaster relief. But, you’re protesting against American citizens who don’t have healthcare coverage. I don’t understand that! I don’t see it being against President Obama, I take it personally, that you don’t think that after working for 35 years in this country and then getting laid-off (because my job was outsourced overseas) that I somehow don’t merit healthcare coverage, I am 5 years short of being able to draw social security (and thanks to Bush that fund has been depleted so that it may not be there when I need it).
This Healthcare bill is a start and I want to see if I will be able to get healthcare. No bill is set in stone, they make amendments to bills all the time, so why not see what happens and then if it’s not what works for the majority of the American people push for amending what will work.
Brotherly love is required.
3-24-2010 @12:02AM joe said... ron needs to be found and destroyed.
3-23-2010 @8:01PM Rsaake said... sounds like progress
3-23-2010 @10:10PM Jenn said... I have to agree with Kanew and Ron. Maybe artists are painting the disciples' heads smaller. I find "portion distortion" far from newsworthy!
Sharon, give me a break! No one can deny that Cobra is expensive, but it is an option to allow you to remain under your current health insurance policy. When I lost my coverage with my employer and couldn't afford my Cobra premiums, guess what I did...I searched and found an insurance company that would carry myself and family! Is the coverage the same, no. However I want it, I find it important so I am paying for it. I CHOOSE to have insurance. It is NOT CONSTITUTIONAL to have the government tell me I have to have it!!!
And your comment on social security, your're right, you probably won't see much but you can blame it all on Bush. Place blame on the liberals who allow our federally funded programs to be raped by illegal immigrants and the same liberals who will grant these illegal immigrants amnesty just to get some votes.
You want to know the reason the Democrats and Republicans couldn't work together on this? The Republicans were doing their jobs, listening to the American people. Tell me why Sharon were the Democrats in such a hurry to push this through and yet we have to still wait 4-9 years for these laws to take affect? Why so much wheeling and dealing going on behind closed doors? That is not how Congress men and women should be doing business.
3-24-2010 @1:13AM Catmoves said... I am waiting for that 39 pound turkey to show up on the table.
3-24-2010 @6:15PM Brenda said... In response to Addy's comment, Catholics do NOT worship Mary. We honor her, much like we honor our mother's here on earth (Mother's Day holiday, etc...). Just wanted to clear up a common misunderstanding.
3-23-2010 @2:14PM Antique Organ said... The real message is what Christ was saying and teaching at the last supper, Not what was on the table..........................Learn this and you won't worry about what and how much is on the table.
Reply
3-23-2010 @2:23PM CIndy Easterwood said... Just to let readers know...the photo is an incurate depiction of the last supper! Counting the # of people in the painting, there is 1 too many! According to the Bible, Judus did not attend the Last Supper!
3-23-2010 @2:34PM Juanita said... Um, I'm pretty sure he was there but left early after Jesus announced he would be betrayed.
3-23-2010 @3:31PM Archie said... And according to the Da Vinci Code movie, the other one is Mary Magdalene. Hehe.
3-23-2010 @2:35PM Readyourbible said... Cindy Easterwood said that Judus (sic) did not attend the last supper. Cindy, please read Matthew 17-30. Jesus said, "One of you men...will betray me." Judas said "Teacher, you surely don't mean me!" How could Judas ask that question if he was not at the last supper?
Besides, this article is NOT about religion. It is about how we consume food and how that has changed through the last 1000 years. He uses artistic renderings of the last supper as a method of showing how our food intake has increased.