Authors
  Solomons NW.
Title
  Plant-based diets are traditional in developing countries: 21st century
challenges for better nutrition and health
Source
  Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 9(Suppl S):S41-S54, 2000.
Abstract
  The chronic degenerative diseases were virtually unknown in original
  hunter-gatherer societies. At the dawn of the 21st century, however, they
represent the most important public health challenge to populations of both
the industrialized, affluent nations of the temperate zones and the
low-income developing countries of the tropics. The developing countries
most closely reflect the legacy of our traditional foreparents while
constituting three-quarters of the world's populace and public health
interest. For economic, traditional, religious and cultural reasons, the
majority of the dietary fares in the developing world are largely plant
based. This is associated with high prevalences of deficiency states in
vitamin A, iron, zinc, riboflavin and vitamin B12. Poor linear growth and
chronic energy deficiency are concomitant conditions. Conversely, the
  major chronic diseases have low prevalences among the rural peasantry and
tribal groups, with the exception of gastro-esophageal cancer,
osteoarthritis and cataract. As a site for intensive research in food and
nutritional sciences, Guatemala provides important lessons about the origin
and evolvement of a congruent plant-based diet within a food system and
which factors of demographic expansion, urbanization, environmental stress
and food technology will carry it through the 21st century. We can conclude
that, whatever was the 'original' dietary pattern of pre-agricultural
humankind, a plant-based diet regimen provides the lowest content of
promoters and the highest content of inhibitors of metabolic dysregulation
that lead to the major causes of disease and debility in adults over 40
years of age. For developing countries, the challenge is to maintain and
reinforce the traditional eating patterns while improving their delivery of
micronutrients and obviating any adverse environmental
  consequences in their traditional preparation patterns. For developed
countries, there is an opportunity to find a 'road map' of guidelines to
allow correction of current, pathogenic dietary and lifestyle patterns by
examining the food-ways of traditional developing societies' cuisines.
  [References: 93]
Institution
  Reprint available from:
  Solomons NW
  CeSSIAM
  POB 02-5339,Sect 3163 Guatemala
  Miami, FL 33136
  USA

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