Evolutionary Perspective and Effects of Psychosocial Stress on Obesity
In today’s society, it is so easy to go from malnutrition based on under-nutrition to malnutrition based on over-nutrition. This malnutrition based on over-nutrition is better known as obesity. Obesity has become an epidemic in numerous countries. Many children and adults die at a young age from diseases that are obesity-related. Research has shown that millions of years ago, our ancestors did not have these chronic diseases nor were they obese, which leaves us with questions, when did this obesity epidemic come into existence and how? This paper will examine the evolutionary perspectives of obesity; specifically the mismatch hypothesis of human’s Paleolithic …show more content…
In 1962, James Neel, a geneticist, proposed the thrifty gene hypothesis to explain the rise in Type II diabetes and obesity around the world (Speakman, 2008). The central idea is that through natural selection, humans evolved to be sufficient at storing food and utilization. In his first hypothesis, Neel concluded that our ancestors went through a cycle of feast and famine and the individuals who were better at storing fuel were more likely to survive during the famine periods (Speakman, 2008). Due to this, humans developed genetically to be exceptionally efficient over many generations. However, during the last century, the transition to consuming greater amounts of food and limiting exercise has created a paradox where the once advantageous thrifty genes are now making us vulnerable to obesity and other medical conditions such as diabetes (Speakman, 2008). However, Speakman (2008) speaks on how this argument is flawed by pointing out that if thrifty genes hypothesis were correct, all individuals would have these advantageous genes, and since these genes cause obesity according to the thrifty gene hypothesis, we should all be obese, which is not true. Speakman (2008) furthers gives his alternative hypothesis, drifty genes, where he considers the obesity epidemic resulting from genetic drift. In his hypothesis, he claims that we are optimized to regulate our food intake and stay lean but due to the reduction of this in recent years, we have “drifted” from that genotype (Speakman,
In today’s society, it is so easy to go from malnutrition based on under-nutrition to malnutrition based on over-nutrition. This malnutrition based on over-nutrition is better known as obesity. Obesity has become an epidemic in numerous countries. Many children and adults die at a young age from diseases that are obesity-related. Research has shown that millions of years ago, our ancestors did not have these chronic diseases nor were they obese, which leaves us with questions, when did this obesity epidemic come into existence and how? This paper will examine the evolutionary perspectives of obesity; specifically the mismatch hypothesis of human’s Paleolithic …show more content…
In 1962, James Neel, a geneticist, proposed the thrifty gene hypothesis to explain the rise in Type II diabetes and obesity around the world (Speakman, 2008). The central idea is that through natural selection, humans evolved to be sufficient at storing food and utilization. In his first hypothesis, Neel concluded that our ancestors went through a cycle of feast and famine and the individuals who were better at storing fuel were more likely to survive during the famine periods (Speakman, 2008). Due to this, humans developed genetically to be exceptionally efficient over many generations. However, during the last century, the transition to consuming greater amounts of food and limiting exercise has created a paradox where the once advantageous thrifty genes are now making us vulnerable to obesity and other medical conditions such as diabetes (Speakman, 2008). However, Speakman (2008) speaks on how this argument is flawed by pointing out that if thrifty genes hypothesis were correct, all individuals would have these advantageous genes, and since these genes cause obesity according to the thrifty gene hypothesis, we should all be obese, which is not true. Speakman (2008) furthers gives his alternative hypothesis, drifty genes, where he considers the obesity epidemic resulting from genetic drift. In his hypothesis, he claims that we are optimized to regulate our food intake and stay lean but due to the reduction of this in recent years, we have “drifted” from that genotype (Speakman,