(02-10-10) Latitude, local ecology, and hunter-gatherer dietary acid load: implications from evolutionary ecology1,,2

Alexander Str?hle, Andreas Hahn and Anthony Sebastian
1 From the Nutrition Physiology and Human Nutrition Unit, Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany (A Str?hle and AH), and the Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), CTSI Strategic Opportunities Support Center, Resource Allocation Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA (A Sebastian).
2 Address correspondence to A Sebastian, Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Strategic Opportunities Support Center, Resource Allocation Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA. E-mail: [email protected] .
Background: Past estimations of the net base-producing nature of the Paleolithic "Diet of Evolutionary Adaptedness" derived primarily from interpretations of ethnographic data of modern historically studied hunter-gatherers. In our recent ethnographic analyses, we observed large variations in diet-dependent net endogenous acid production (NEAP) among hunter-gatherer diets.
Objective: We proposed to determine whether differences in ecologic environments influence estimations of NEAP.
Design: By using ethnographic data of plant-to-animal subsistence ratios and mathematical models established previously, we computed frequency distributions of estimated NEAP in relation to latitude in 229 worldwide modern hunter-gatherer societies. Four different models of animal fat density were used: models A (3%), B (10%), C (15%), and D (20%). In addition, we estimated NEAP by primary ecologic environments in those hunter-gatherer societies (n = 63) for which data were documented.
Results: With increasing latitude intervals, 0??10? to >60?, NEAP increased in all 4 models. For models A, B, and C, the diets tend to be net acid-producing at >40? latitude and net base-producing at <40?; the same held for model D (>50? and <50?, respectively). For models A, B, and C, the diets of hunter-gatherers living in northern areas (tundra and coniforest) and in temperate grassland and tropical rainforests are net acid-producing. In all other ecologic niches, hunter-gatherers seem to consume a neutral or net base-producing diet.
Conclusions: Latitude and ecologic environments codetermine the NEAP values observed in modern hunter-gatherers. The data support the hypothesis that the diet of Homo sapiens? East African ancestors was predominantly net base-producing.

Source: Am J Clin Nutr 92: 940-945, 2010.

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