A few comments:

First, I am not comfortable this creeping use of the term "paleodieters"
that we see here and there used in reference to members of this symposium
(not just in Brian's message--I've seen it  used in other submissions to
this list).  The term implies either that people on this list are
specifically eating a certain way, or that there is some sort of monolithic
point of view on the issues discussed here.  Neither is the case.  This is
a silly word and I'd like to see it go away.

I am also not sure who "modern-day Rousseauians" is supposed to be
referring to.  The inference I draw is that if one holds to the theory that
an animal will probably be healthiest eating the foods it evolved to eat,
one holds to an anti-civilization creed.  I hope that inference is
incorrect, as that would be both a non-sequitur and an unprovoked
ad-hominem attack.  It would also be factually incorrect, since more than
one scientist who's written on the issue of evolutionary diets have
acknowledged the tremendous advances modern civilization has brought to
human health and well-being.  Including more than one member of this group.

As for research, just to add fuel to discussion, I thought I'd mention that
Brian and others may wish to examine the Georgia Centerarian study (1),
which amongst other things showed that on average, Americans who live past
the age of 100 tend to avoid calorie-restricted diets.  They also tend to
eat generous amounts of fatty and cholesterol-ridden foods, and to ignore
medical advice on healthy diets.  They also tend to eat generous amounts of
cereal grains and dairy products.

Correlation is not causation.  But it's interestind that a study like this
can so easily fly in the face of so many different theories espoused both
here and elsewhere.

(1) Johnson, MA, The Georgia centenarian study: Nutritional patterns of
centenarians, International Journal of Aging and Human Development,
1992;34(1):57-76.

 -=-

  "What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out,
   which is the exact opposite."          --Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)