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Paleolithic Nutrition — A Consideration of Its Nature and Current Implications

List of authors.
  • S. Boyd Eaton, M.D.,
  • and Melvin Konner, Ph.D.

HUMANITY has existed as a genus for about 2 million years, and our prehuman hominid ancestors, the australopithecines, appeared at least 4 million years ago (Table 1). This phase of evolutionary history made definitive contributions to our current genetic composition, partly in response to dietary influences at that time. The foods available to evolving hominids varied widely according to the paleontological period, geographical location, and seasonal conditions, so that our ancestral line maintained the versatility of the omnivore that typifies most primates. Natural selection has provided us with nutritional adaptability; however, human beings today are confronted with diet-related health problems . . .

Funding and Disclosures

We are indebted to Denis Burkitt, George Cahill, Irven DeVore, Richard Lee, John R.K. Robson, Margaret J. Schoeninger, Pat Shipman, Marjorie Shostak, and Alan Walker for helpful comments, and to Debra Fey for assistance in preparing it.

Author Affiliations

From the School of Medicine and the Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, where reprint requests should be addressed to Dr. Eaton at the Department of Anthropology.

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