Final answer:
Hippocrates, the Greek physician, is credited with recognizing the link between obesity and other physical disorders, marking a significant advancement in medical science.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the textbook, the Greek physician Hippocrates recognized a connection between obesity and physical disorders. Hippocrates (460-370 BC), often recognized as the "father of Western medicine," dismissed the notion that diseases were caused by supernatural forces, instead believing in natural causes stretching from internal conditions to environmental factors. This revolutionary approach laid the groundwork for the modern scientific method in diagnosing and treating illnesses.
Hippocrates is notably linked to the Hippocratic Corpus, a significant collection of early medical literature, and is the namesake of the Hippocratic Oath, which emphasizes ethical practice in physicians. While other historical figures like Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato had profound impacts on various fields such as mathematics, philosophy, and ethics, it was Hippocrates who made pivotal contributions to the field of medicine, specifically acknowledging the health risks of obesity.