Child dietary patterns in Homo sapiens evolution

Abstract

Dietary patterns spanning millennia could inform contemporary public health nutrition. Children are largely absent from evidence describing diets throughout human evolution, despite prevalent malnutrition today signaling a potential genome-environment divergence. This systematic review aimed to identify dietary patterns of children ages 6 months to 10 years consumed before the widespread adoption of agriculture. Metrics of mention frequency (counts of food types reported) and food groups (globally standardized categories) were applied to: compare diets across subsistence modes [gatherer-hunter-fisher (GHF), early agriculture (EA) groups]; examine diet quality and diversity; and characterize differences by life course phase and environmental context defined using Köppen-Geiger climate zones. The review yielded child diet information from 95 cultural groups (52 from GHF; 43 from EA/mixed subsistence groups). Animal foods (terrestrial and aquatic) were the most frequently mentioned food groups in dietary patterns across subsistence modes, though at higher frequencies in GHF than in EA. A broad range of fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers were more common in GHF, while children from EA groups consumed more cereals than GHF, associated with poor health consequences as reported in some studies. Forty-eight studies compared diets across life course phases: 28 showed differences and 20 demonstrated similarities in child vs adult diets. Climate zone was a driver of food patterns provisioned from local ecosystems. Evidence from Homo sapiens evolution points to the need for nutrient-dense foods with high quality proteins and greater variety within and across food groups. Public health solutions could integrate these findings into food-based dietary guidelines for children. LAY SUMMARY Drawing insights from child dietary patterns of our evolutionary past might better inform public health nutrition today. This systematic review revealed higher intakes of animal source foods, fruits, roots/tubers, nuts, and overall dietary diversity among gather-hunter-fisher compared to early agriculture groups. To prevent child malnutrition, dietary guidelines might incorporate these findings.

Wild Foods Are Positively Associated with Diet Diversity and Child Growth in a Protected Forest Area of Madagascar

“…Livestock ownership was negatively associated with any ASF consumption suggesting the use of livestock for other purposes besides household food consumption, for example, as draft animals or for income generation. On a global scale, aquatic ASF contributes high proportions of docosahexaenoic acid, choline, and vitamin B12 nutrition, and crustaceans more specifically are associated with reduced stunting [ 56 ]. Small fish are often more accessible to low-resource populations and provide high concentrations of critical micronutrients comparable with fortified food supplements [ 57 , 58 ].…”

Effects of Xylitol on Tumor Progression in Syngeneic Mice Cancer Models

“…Certain animal species cannot correctly utilize xylitol, especially carnivores that have not been evolutionarily exposed to plants as foods 41. Tubers were once a significant source of food for homo sapiens and still a survivor food for hunter-gatherers, such as the Hadza tribe [42,43]. The microbiome of hunter-gatherers and traditional tribal people maintains specific bacterial taxa that can utilize complex carbohydrates and polyols [44,45].…”

Ultra-processed foods in a rural Ecuadorian community: associations with child anthropometry and bone maturation

“…Despite evidence generally associating UPF consumption with reduced intake of several critical nutrients, some representative epidemiological studies have specifically observed increased intake of Calcium in relation to increased UPF intake ( 34 , 72 , 73 ) . It is however important to recognise that dietary patterns and nutrient interactions within a diet matrix – rather than a single nutrient – are better predictors for nutrition-related outcomes ( 74 , 75 ) . Emerging experimental evidence mostly points to the negative impacts of increased UPF intake on bone health.…”