Food and Western Disease : Health and Nutrition From an Evolutionary Perspective

Nutrition science is a highly fractionated, contentious field with rapidly changing viewpoints on both minor and major issues impacting on public health. With an evolutionary perspective as its basis, this exciting book provides a framework by which the discipline can finally be coherently explored. By looking at what we know of human evolution and disease in relation to the diets that humans enjoy now and prehistorically, the book allows the reader to begin to truly understand the link between diet and disease in the Western world and move towards a greater knowledge of what can be defined as the optimal human diet. Written by a leading expert Covers all major diseases, including cancer, heart disease, obesity, stroke and dementia Details the benefits and risks associated with the Palaeolithic diet Draws conclusions on key topics including sustainable nutrition and the question of healthy eating This important book provides an exciting and useful insight into this fascinating subject area and will be of great interest to nutritionists, dietitians and other members of the health professions. Evolutionary biologists and anthropologists will also find much of interest within the book. All university and research establishments where nutritional sciences, medicine, food science and biological sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this title. Food and Western Disease......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 Foreword......Page 9 Preface......Page 13 1.1 Why do we get sick?......Page 17 1.2 We are changing at pace with the continental drift......Page 19 1.3 Are we adapted for milk and bread?......Page 21 2.1 The perspective of academic medicine......Page 24 2.2 The concept of normality......Page 27 2.3 Genetics......Page 28 2.4 Dietary guidelines......Page 29 Problems and limitations in nutritional research......Page 30 Old and new concepts of healthy diets......Page 37 3.1 Available food......Page 46 3.2 Nutritional composition......Page 50 Minerals, trace elements......Page 51 Common salt......Page 52 Vitamins......Page 53 Protein content......Page 56 Protein quality......Page 57 Fat content......Page 58 Polyunsaturated fat......Page 61 Cholesterol content......Page 64 Carbohydrate quality......Page 65 Energy density......Page 67 Phytochemicals......Page 68 4 Modern diseases......Page 72 Incidence studies......Page 73 The Kitava study, Trobriand Islands......Page 74 Relevant dietary factors......Page 79 Tobacco smoking......Page 99 4.2 Stroke......Page 100 Incidence studies......Page 101 Relevant dietary factors......Page 105 4.3 Atherosclerosis......Page 106 Prevalence studies......Page 108 Appearance in animals......Page 109 Regression studies......Page 110 Relevant dietary factors......Page 111 4.4 Type 2 diabetes......Page 117 Prevalence studies......Page 118 Preventive/causative dietary factors......Page 120 Diet in established type 2 diabetes......Page 127 Prevalence studies......Page 131 Potential consequences......Page 135 Relevant dietary factors......Page 142 William Banting......Page 147 Prevalence studies......Page 149 Attempts to explain......Page 151 Associated abnormalities......Page 155 Relevant dietary factors......Page 168 4.7 Hypertension (high blood pressure)......Page 172 Prevalence studies......Page 173 Effects of urbanisation......Page 175 Relevant dietary factors......Page 177 4.8 Dyslipidaemia (blood lipid disorders)......Page 182 Prevalence studies......Page 183 Effects of urbanisation......Page 186 Risks with dyslipidaemia......Page 190 Relevant dietary factors......Page 192 4.9 Heart failure......Page 194 Prevalence studies......Page 195 Primary prevention......Page 196 Secondary prevention......Page 197 Prevalence studies......Page 199 Relevant dietary factors......Page 200 Prevalence studies......Page 201 Prehistoric skeletal remains......Page 202 Relevant dietary factors......Page 203 Future research......Page 207 4.12 Osteoporosis......Page 208 Prevalence studies......Page 209 Prehistoric skeletal remains......Page 210 Relevant dietary factors......Page 212 Rickets in medical literature......Page 220 Relevant dietary factors......Page 221 Prehistoric......Page 224 Relevant dietary factors......Page 225 Relevant mechanisms......Page 226 Relevant diseases......Page 228 Palaeolithic elimination diet......Page 231 5.1 Haemochromatosis......Page 232 5.2 Iodine deficiency......Page 233 Warfarin-induced bleeding......Page 235 6.1 Evolutionary medicine instead of vegetarianism?......Page 237 6.3 Insulin resistance is more than abdominal obesity and diabetes......Page 238 6.6 Effects of an ancestral diet......Page 239 6.7 The ancestral diet: a new concept......Page 240 Grains......Page 241 Beans......Page 242 Lean meat......Page 243 Nuts......Page 244 7.4 Compromises......Page 245 Glossary ......Page 247 References ......Page 266 Index (see also Glossary) ......Page 361 By Looking At What We Know Of Human Evolution And Disease In Relation To The Diets That Humans Enjoy Now And Prehistorically, The Book Allows The Reader To Begin To Truly Understand The Link Between Diet And Disease In The Western World And Move Towards A Greater Knowledge Of What Can Be Defined As The Optimal Human Diet. This Book Will Be Of Great Interest To Nutritionists, Dietitians And Other Members Of The Health Professions. Evolutionary Biologists And Anthropologists Will Also Find Much Of Interest Within The Book. All University And Research Establishments Where Nutritional Sciences, Medicine, Food Science And Biological Sciences Are Studied And Taught Should Have Copies Of This Title.--jacket. Expanding Our Perspective -- Ancestral Human Diets -- Modern Diseases -- Risks With The Palaeolithic Diet -- Viewpoint Summary -- Healthy Eating. Staffan Lindeberg. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Translated From The Swedish. The book commences with a look at evolutionary medicine and then covers what we know about the food available to humans in palaeolithic times, and its nutritional components. The major section of the book which follows, covers the main 'modern' diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, overweight, dementia and hypertension.