Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Hunter Gatherers healthier than farmers

This article quotes an anthropological study in which the remains of two different tribes in what is now the Kentucky area were analyzed for health issues. One group farmed, growing mostly corn, beans, and squash, supplemented with local game. The other hunted and gathered, and ate all kinds of local game including a large amount of shellfish and snails, small mammals etc. The hunter gatherers, while they did have short periods of malnutrition, had much lower infant mortality, lower anemia, etc. They were healthier. Quite interesting.