What’s for Dinner? Researchers Seek Our Ancestors’ Answers

This vivid article describes one of five workgroups at a meeting on  Evolution and Diseases of Modern Environments attended by 80 scientists in October, 2009 at the Berlin Charite Hospital.  The article makes no mention of the other four related  workgroups or the larger meeting, but reports from all five groups are available at The Evolution and Medicine Review.

Article Abstract
Sixteen researchers from multiple disciplines chewed on the question of whether there is an ideal diet for humans as part of a recent workshop on evolution and modern diseases. Those focusing on diet hoped to test the common belief that diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure arise because our bodies are poorly adapted to the modern diet, rich in fat, sugar, and salt. After comparing emerging evidence from ancient humans and diverse modern cultures, the researchers concluded that many factors—including genes, sex, ancestry, and fetal and childhood conditions—influence how we digest foods and store fat. Physiological stress in mothers can leave lingering imprints on descendants for generations. So although it’s true that humans evolved to eat a diet relatively high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat, there’s no single Paleolithic prescription for better health.