An Evolutionary Perspective on the Obesity Epidemic

Publication date: Available online 19 September 2018Source: Trends in Endocrinology & MetabolismAuthor(s): Z. HochbergAn evolutionary approach to obesity involves a genomic/anthropological dimension. For 1.8 Myr the lifestyle of hunter-gatherers (HGs) comprised intense physical activity and a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet. Genomes of HGs were adapted to low insulin sensitivity. When the agrarian epoch began a new ‘farmer diet’ high in carbohydrates (CHO) emerged. Owing to periodic famines, the genome may not have adapted; they preserved a HG genome. Ever since the industrial revolution our genome is adapting rapidly to a CHO-rich diet. Individuals with preserved HG genome develop obesity at age 4–8 years and need a low-CHO diet. By contrast, those with a farmer genome become obese in infancy; they need a low-calorie diet. This knowledge prompts exploration of the two genomes and their clinical presentations.
Source: Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research