From: gts (gts_2000@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Apr 15 2003 - 19:13:58 MDT
Ramez Naam wrote:
> Can you provide a reference for prehistoric humans being
> taller than 20th century humans? Everything I've read on the topic
> has said the opposite.
It may be true that we 20th and 21st century humans are near to the height
of our paleolithic ancestors, thanks to advances in medicine and nutrition,
but the evidence is that farmers in general were much shorter than their
prehistoric ancestors at least until very recently. I'll need to find the
proper sources in the bibliography of Dr. Cordain's on book on paleodiets to
give you an academic reference, but here is what he says on page 42:
"The archeological record clearly shows that whenever and wherever ancient
humans sowed seeds, (and replaced the old animal-dominated diets), part of
the harvest included health problems. One physical ramification of the new
diet was immediately obvious: Early farmers were markedly shorter than their
ancestors. In Turkey and Greece, for example, pre-agricultural men stood 5
feet 9 inches tall and women 5 feet 5 inches. By 3000 B.C., the average man
had shrunk to 5 feet 3 inches and the average woman to 5 feet. But getting
shorter -- not in itself a health problem -- was the least of the changes in
these early farmers. Studies of their bone and teeth reveal that these
people were basically a mess. They had more infectious diseases, more
childhood mortality, and shorter life-spans in general. They also had more
osteoporosis, rickets, and other bone mineral disorders thanks to their
cereal based diets... Instead of the well-formed, strong teeth their
ancestors had, there were now cavities. Their jaws, which were formerly
square and roomy, were suddenly too small for their teeth, which overlapped
each other."
I've seen reference also to studies of mummies unearthed in ancient
(agricultural) Egypt. Ancient Egyptians were also a mess.
The point is this: if it is true that we are healthier today than we were in
pre-agricultural times, then it is true despite the modern diet -- not
because of it.
-gts
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