On Tue, 11 May 1999, Aaron A. Weiss wrote:

> What about the possibility that in a few hundred generations of living by
> agriculture, we might have developed genetic mutations harmful to paleo eating
> that have survived because of the predominantly agricultual diet?

A point mentioned in Neanderthin is that Inuit who adopt a
"civilized" diet have greater than average rates of diabetes, and
I believe similar observations have been made with respect to
Australian aborigines and Polynesians.  Why should these people
be *more* susceptible to diseases of civilization than others?
We can only speculate.  Some months ago, I posted a study that
suggested that the Inuit might be somewhat more efficient in
producing the delta-5 desaturase enzyme, thus giving them a
higher tolerance, and possibly a higher need, for EPA and DHA,
which are abundant in their traditional diet.

The issue is made more complicated by our ignorance of which
effects are due to carb overload, w-6 fat excess, and foreign
proteins.

Todd Moody
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