The diet industry is worth multiple billions of dollars. In the US alone, diet products and other weight-loss plans generate more than US$70 billion in revenue. Unsurprisingly, diet fads have been part of human existence for way longer than we care to admit. Throughout history, people have engaged in a myriad of dieting practices that have ranged from outrageous to outright fatal.
Browse the gallery and check out some of the bizarre dieting fads from history. You'll be shocked to know that a lot of them are still in practice today.