"Hunter‐gatherers as models in public health." Very interesting new paper on HG diet, lifestyle, and health by @HermanPontzer, Brian Wood, and @DavidRaichlen. Here are a few highlights.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.11…
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.11…
First, these are true scientists who have worked extensively with hunter-gatherer and subsistence farming communities, not diet partisans. They aren't representing a diet tribe, just trying to accurately document the reality of HG life. I interviewed Pontzer and Wood for my book.
"demographic analyses of small‐scale populations show that adult survivorship is similar in some ways to industrialized societies, with adults regularly living into their 60s and 70s and even beyond"
"As expected for populations with high levels of physical activity and limited access to processed, highly calorific foods, obesity and metabolic disease are rare among hunter‐gatherers and subsistence farmers."
"Non‐insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes is so rare among small‐scale populations that it is difficult to find reports of its prevalence in these groups."
"nearly all hunter‐gatherers populations today and in the recent past are known to have a mix of both meat and plant foods in their diet"
HG diets tend to have a somewhat lower calorie density than modern diets and much higher fiber intake.
"honey accounts for a substantial portion of the diet for many hunter‐gatherer groups." They estimate that "16–20% of the annual diet of foraging Hadza is derived from honey and bee larvae."
"macronutrient proportions for many small‐scale societies used as models in public health, including the Hadza and Tsimane, are much more carbohydrate‐heavy than recommended by Palaeodiet proponents"
"Our limited tests (n = 19 adults) for urinary ketones among the Hadza have yet to produce a positive test."
"many small‐scale societies, including those with excellent metabolic and cardiovascular health, eat diets that are relatively rich in carbohydrates and (via honey) simple sugars"
Those are the facts. Deal with it :)
