Microevolutionary hypothesis of the obesity epidemic.

ABSTRACT: The obesity epidemic represents potentially the largest phenotypic change in Homo sapiens since the origin of the species. Despite obesity's high heritability, it is generally presumed a change in the gene pool could not have caused the obesity epidemic. Here we advance the hypothesis that a rapid change in the obesogenic gene pool has occurred second to the introduction of modern obstetrics dramatically altering evolutionary pressures on obesity-the microevolutionary hypothesis of the obesity epidemic. Obesity is known to increase childbirth-related mortality several fold. Prior to modern obstetrics, childbirth-related mortality occurred in over 10% of women in their lifetime. After modern obstetrics, this mortality reduced to a fraction of a percent, thereby lifting a strong negative sel

SUBMITTER: Fraiman J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11305523 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature