Urbanization and market integration have strong, nonlinear effects on cardiometabolic health in the Turkana

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb1430
• Publication Date: 2020-10-21T23:17:45Z
• Authors: Amanda J. Lea; Dino Martins; Joseph Kamau; Michael Gurven; Julien F. Ayroles
• Keywords: Pastoralism; Market Integration

The "mismatch" between evolved human physiology and Western lifestyles is thought to explain the current epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in industrialized societies. However, this hypothesis has been difficult test because few populations concurrently span ancestral modern lifestyles. To address gap, we collected interview biomarker data from individuals Turkana ancestry who practice subsistence-level, nomadic pastoralism (the way life for group), as well no longer live urban areas. We found that move cities exhibit poor cardiometabolic health, partially a shift toward "Western diets" high refined carbohydrates. also show being born an area independently predicts adult such life-long city dwellers will experience greatest CVD risk. By focusing on substantial lifestyle gradient, our work thus informs timing, magnitude, evolutionary causes CVD.