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Child dietary patterns in Homo sapiens evolution: A systematic review
Lora L Iannotti1, Emmanuel A Gyimah1, Miranda Reid1
1Brown School, Institute for Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health
|August 31, 2022
Summary
Ancient children
Area of Science:
- Paleoanthropology and Human Evolution
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Contemporary child malnutrition suggests a genome-environment divergence.
- Limited data exists on ancestral child diets during human evolution.
- Understanding past diets can inform present-day nutritional strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review pre-agricultural dietary patterns of children (6 months to 10 years).
- To compare diets across gatherer-hunter-fisher (GHF) and early agriculture (EA) subsistence modes.
- To assess diet quality, diversity, and influences of life stage and climate.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of 95 cultural groups (52 GHF, 43 EA/mixed).
- Analysis of food mention frequency and standardized food groups.
- Comparison across subsistence modes, life course phases, and Köppen-Geiger climate zones.
Main Results:
- Animal foods were prevalent across all groups, higher in GHF.
- GHF diets featured more fruits, vegetables, roots, and tubers; EA diets had more cereals.
- Child and adult diets showed both differences and similarities; climate influenced food availability.
Conclusions:
- Ancestral child diets emphasize nutrient-dense, high-protein foods and variety.
- Cereal consumption in early agriculture was linked to negative health outcomes.
- Evolutionary insights can guide modern food-based dietary guidelines for children.
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