A Dietary Shift to Agriculture - Friend or Foe...?
As we reflect on human history, it’s clear that our bodies evolved to thrive in the context of a hypercarnivorous, hunter-gatherer lifestyle, a diet and activity pattern our ancestors followed for millennia. However, the agricultural revolution, beginning ~10,000 years ago, triggered a profound shift that altered both our diets and our lifestyles. These changes have had significant, and arguably detrimental, effects on human physiology and health.
For much of human history, our diets were primarily based on animal-derived foods supplemented by foraged plants (Crawford, 2000; Leonard & Robertson, 1994). Human bodies evolved to efficiently process animal fats and proteins, with physical activity being central to survival. Early humans expended high levels of energy in search of food, developing strong, lean bodies suited to endurance and resilience in diverse ecosystems (Leonard et al., 2014).
The shift towards agriculture brought a drastic change in diet composition. Instead of protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods from hunting, agricultural societies began to rely heavily on cereals and grains as staples (Cordain et al., 2005). These high-carbohydrate foods quickly became the basis of the human diet, resulting in a reduction in dietary diversity and nutrient density (Larsen, 1995). With this, essential micronutrients previously derived from varied sources diminished, contributing to widespread deficiencies. Evidence indicates that this shift was linked to reduced stature, decreased dental health, and increased prevalence of iron deficiency anemia - issues rarely observed among hunter-gatherers (Cohen & Armelagos, 1984; Eaton et al., 1988).
Moreover, the sedentary nature of modern agriculture based society introduced new challenges. Where hunter-gatherers were active and mobile, agricultural lifestyles necessitated long hours of repetitive, often physically taxing tasks but in localized settings. This shift is associated with a decline in skeletal health, as bone strength and density adapted to lower activity levels (Ruff, 2000). Indeed, early agrarian societies experienced an increase in degenerative conditions, such as arthritis and joint issues, that were far less common in the more active hunter-gatherer communities (Weiss et al., 1973).
The implications of the agricultural revolution continue to impact modern health. Contemporary diets rich in processed carbohydrates echo the early shift to cereal-based agriculture, aligning with rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (Cordain et al., 2005). These chronic conditions reflect a mismatch between our genetic makeup – being adapted to a nutrient-dense, animal-based diet - and the high-sugar, low-nutrient diets pervasive today (Eaton et al., 1988). In reconsidering our dietary patterns, there is much we can learn from our evolutionary heritage to guide healthier lifestyles in the present.
You are a Hypercarnivore - eat like one…
References:
- Cohen, M.N. & Armelagos, G.J., 1984. *Paleopathology at the Origins of Agriculture*. Orlando: Academic Press.
- Cordain, L., Eaton, S.B., Sebastian, A., Mann, N., Lindeberg, S., Watkins, B.A., O’Keefe, J.H. & Brand-Miller, J., 2005. Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. *American Journal of Clinical Nutrition*, 81(2), pp.341-354.
- Crawford, M.A., 2000. The role of dietary fats in human health. *Nutrition Bulletin*, 25(3), pp.197-202.
- Eaton, S.B., Shostak, M. & Konner, M., 1988. *The Paleolithic Prescription: A Program of Diet and Exercise and a Design for Living*. New York: Harper and Row.
- Larsen, C.S., 1995. Biological changes in human populations with agriculture. *Annual Review of Anthropology*, 24(1), pp.185-213.
- Leonard, W.R. & Robertson, M.L., 1994. Evolutionary perspectives on human nutrition: the influence of brain and body size on diet and metabolism. *American Journal of Human Biology*, 6(1), pp.77-88.
- Leonard, W.R., Snodgrass, J.J. & Robertson, M.L., 2014. Effects of brain evolution on human nutrition and metabolism. *Annual Review of Nutrition*, 27(1), pp.311-327.
- Ruff, C.B., 2000. Body size, body shape, and long bone strength in modern humans. *Journal of Human Evolution*, 38(2), pp.269-290.
- Weiss, K.M., Eisenberg, L.E. & Jensen, J.B., 1973. *Human Biology and Social Inequality: New Directions*. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.