Linking Nutrition, Maturation and Aging: From Thrifty Genes to the Spendthrift Phenotype
2011
Linking Nutrition, Maturation and Aging
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): David Stipp
Hypothesis
The boom times' selection of genotypes prone to nutrition-cued accelerated development is having an especially problematic effect today because of widespread childhood overnutrition.
Conclusion
The study suggests that modern lifestyles collide with genotypes favored during past periods of plenty, leading to increased health risks associated with early overnutrition.
Supporting Evidence
- Periods of plenty selected for genotypes capable of rapidly ramping up fecundity as food intake increased.
- Accelerated development, which enhanced reproductive success in the past, now has a pro-aging effect.
- High BMI in childhood is a significant risk factor for precocious puberty.
Takeaway
Eating a lot when you're young can make you grow up faster, but it might also make you sick when you're older.
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