Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2025
09:10
Palatable Western-style Cafeteria Diet as a Reliable Method for Modeling Diet-induced Obesity in Rodents
Published on: November 1, 2019
10.7K
Human adaptations to diet: Biological and cultural coevolution
Aline Jelenkovic1, María Eugenia Ibáñez-Zamacona1, Esther Rebato1
1Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain.
Advances in Genetics
|June 22, 2024
Summary
Human gene-culture coevolution reveals adaptations to diet, including lactase persistence for milk digestion and variations in alcohol and gluten tolerance, linked to agricultural history.
Area of Science:
- Human Evolution
- Genetics
- Anthropology
Background:
- Modern humans originated in Africa and have since diversified, developing adaptations to various environments and subsistence strategies.
- The transition from Paleolithic hunter-gatherer lifestyles to Neolithic agriculture marked a significant dietary shift for Homo sapiens.
- These dietary changes have driven gene-culture coevolution, influencing human adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review key examples of gene-culture coevolution in human populations.
- To explore how cultural practices, particularly dietary shifts, have shaped human genetic adaptations.
- To highlight the interplay between human culture and genetic evolution.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on human gene-culture coevolution.
- Analysis of genetic adaptations related to specific dietary practices.
- Case studies examining the coevolutionary relationships between genes and culture.
Main Results:
- Lactase persistence evolved in populations with dairy farming, enabling adult milk consumption.
- Variations in alcohol susceptibility are linked to rice domestication and acetaldehyde metabolism.
- Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) persists despite reduced fitness, associated with agriculture.
- Significant diversity exists in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis pathways among populations with extreme diets.
Conclusions:
- Human populations exhibit diverse genetic adaptations driven by cultural and dietary changes.
- Gene-culture coevolution is a fundamental process shaping human biological diversity.
- Understanding these coevolutionary dynamics is crucial for comprehending human adaptation and health.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Evolutionary Psychology
260
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
260
01:15Natural Selection and Adaptation
196
Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
Beyond physical adaptations,...
196
01:32What is Natural Selection?
115.1K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
115.1K
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
42.7K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
42.7K
01:38Limits to Natural Selection
31.2K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
31.2K
02:39Predator-Prey Interactions
16.2K
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
16.2K