On Tue, 28 Nov 2000 07:55:27 -0400, matesz <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Amadeus Schmidt wrote:
>>>Such northern animals *should* have fat, because of uncertain food supply
>and for insulation.
>
>An uncertain food supply is not what makes animals fat.  They get fat by
>having an abundant food supply.

Of course they get only fat in abundance of food.
But they *have to* get fat if there are food shortages.
If no shortages are to expect, why on earth should animals accumulate fat?
They prefer to grow.
Rabbits in abundance of food (as usual) don't accumulate fat,
they multiply.

> Animals can and do get fat on grass,
>particularly grass at certain times of the year.  There is plenty of grass
>on the tundra by the way.  I talked to a grass farmer who fattens his
>animals on grass and hay....

If the animals are geneticalls determined to gain fat in abundance
they will get fat.
Cows stem from the auerochs. Obviously they have been bred to gain fat, even
mixed into the muscles (marbled) unlike other animals.
On the other hand ... have you ever seen a fat goat?

>they don't gain weight from taking away their
>food or providing it irregularly!

That's was not the point.
But you need a animal which has to have some evolutionary advantage of
gaining fat, and that's not to expect without the fear of shortages or cold
weather.
If a gazelle has plenty of food, why should it accumulate fat?
Lions would catch a fat gazelle easily.

Someone posted experiences of fat on the ribs at gazelles.
They won't carry it in muscles.


>polar bears ...  They evolved heavy insulation because it's
>cold not because the food supply is short.

That's the other evolutionary advandate i could imagine.

>  It is a myth that man was constantly on the verge of
>starvation and that there was a scarcity of animal food to eat.

I didn't suggest that.
Hunters and gatherers are said to aquire their food easily.
Primates have a small tendency to accumulate fat (for shortages) in seasons
which are lower on fruit.
The Orang example shows it, look at the orang story (i uploaded to
http://www.geocities.com/paleolix/ , first link).

Todays humans become fat IMHO (i venture to pose that presumption)
because of improper working energy metabolism.
ATP-shortage for brain and all tissues demand food intake.
If atp-production from carbohydrate (and fat too) is imppaired the food
energy is just stored as fat deposits.
Impariment of ATP-production will arise under conditions of undersupply
of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin alpha lipoc acid and by toxins (also from
yeasts). Which is likely to occur with any processed food, particularly
sugar.

>"The Mammoth Hunters,"..

I found the 3 books in the amazon auctions for 10$.
Let see if this us-guy will send it.

Cheers, Amadeus