Chapter Five DISEASES OF CIVILIZATION

Question 1

What is the main premise of the carbohydrate hypothesis?

Answer 1

The world is gradually going carbohydrate due to population pressure and the increasing use of vegetable over animal materials.

Question 2

What is the calorie yield comparison between corn and pigs fed on corn?

Answer 2

You can get about eight times as many calories from an acre of corn as from pigs fed on the same corn.

Question 3

Why is the increasing consumption of carbohydrates not viewed with alarm?

Answer 3

Because starches and sugars are not harmful, but their high proportion may indicate low amounts of more essential nutrients.

Question 4

What does the term ‘nutrition transition’ refer to?

Answer 4

A population’s Westernization in diet, lifestyle, and health status.

Question 5

What diseases are associated with the current nutrition transition according to the World Health Organization?

Answer 5

• Obesity
• Diabetes mellitus
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension and stroke
• Various forms of cancer

Question 6

What dietary changes did Albert Schweitzer observe among African natives?

Answer 6

A steady increase in cancer victims attributed to their adoption of a Western lifestyle.

Question 7

True or False: Albert Schweitzer encountered cases of appendicitis among African natives upon his arrival.

Answer 7

False

Question 8

What was the dietary pattern of the Eskimos living traditionally compared to those adopting a settler’s diet?

Answer 8

Traditional Eskimos had a meat-heavy diet with rare diseases, while those adopting settler diets suffered from various diseases.

Question 9

What hypothesis was proposed regarding diseases of civilization?

Answer 9

All diseases of civilization had a single common cause—the consumption of easily digestible, refined carbohydrates.

Question 10

What did Stanislas Tanchou conclude about cancer incidence in urban versus rural areas?

Answer 10

Cancer was more common in cities than in rural areas and its incidence was increasing with the progress of civilization.

Question 11

What did Aleš Hrdlika observe about malignant diseases among Native Americans?

Answer 11

Malignant diseases were extremely rare among Native Americans.

Question 12

Fill in the blank: The original concept of diseases of civilization was proposed by _______.

Answer 12

Stanislas Tanchou

Question 13

What common diseases did physicians report among populations exposed to Western diets?

Answer 13

• Obesity
• Diabetes mellitus
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension
• Various forms of cancer

Question 14

What was the conclusion of Fredrick Hoffman regarding cancer mortality?

Answer 14

Cancer mortality was increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, not fully explained by better diagnostics or aging.

Question 15

What did the observations of physicians like Schweitzer and Hutton suggest about traditional diets?

Answer 15

Traditional diets were associated with lower occurrences of chronic diseases.

Question 16

True or False: The hypothesis that refined carbohydrates are a common cause of diseases was accepted in the early 1970s.

Answer 16

False

Question 17

What was the dietary composition of the ‘settler’s dietary’ consumed by some Eskimos?

Answer 17

• Tea
• Bread
• Ship’s biscuits
• Molasses
• Salt fish or pork

Question 18

What was the significant observation made by F. P. Fouché in South Africa regarding native health?

Answer 18

He never saw a case of gastric or duodenal ulcer, colitis, appendicitis, or cancer among natives.

Question 19

What did Isaac Levin’s survey of physicians reveal about cancer rates among Native Americans?

Answer 19

Only twenty-nine documented cases of malignant tumors were found among over 115,000 Native Americans.

Question 20

What dietary components were introduced to populations that led to diseases of civilization?

Answer 20

• Sugar
• Molasses
• White flour
• White rice

Question 21

What was the cancer death rate among the 63,000 Indians surveyed by Hoffman in 1914?

Answer 21

Only 2 deaths from cancer

This indicates a strikingly low incidence of cancer among the surveyed population.

Question 22

What did Hoffman conclude about cancer occurrence among primitive peoples?

Answer 22

Cancer is exceptionally rare among primitive peoples

This conclusion was based on observations from medical missionaries and trained medical observers.

Question 23

What was the significant observation made by Canadian physicians regarding breast cancer among Inuit in 1975?

Answer 23

The incidence of breast cancer was surprisingly low

No cases were found before 1966 and only two cases between 1967 and 1974.

Question 24

What did A. J. Orenstein report about carcinoma cases among native mine laborers in South Africa?

Answer 24

Two cases of carcinoma were observed

One case involved carcinoma of the pancreas and the other of the liver.

Question 25

What hypothesis was proposed regarding meat-eating and cancer occurrence?

Answer 25

Meat-eating was thought to be the problem ## Footnote This hypothesis failed to explain cancer prevalence among certain populations, like Hindus.

Question 26

What modern dietary factors did Hoffman suggest were responsible for the increase in cancer rates?

Answer 26

Overnutrition and modern processed foods ## Footnote These foods lack vital elements necessary for health.

Question 27

Which two refined foods were singled out for their negative health impacts?

Answer 27

* White flour * Sugar ## Footnote Their increased consumption in the diet coincided with rising cancer mortality.

Question 28

What was the traditional view regarding the appeal of white flour?

Answer 28

More attractive to the eye and preferred for baking ## Footnote It was considered to have better digestibility than whole-meal flour.

Question 29

When did white flour become inexpensive for popular consumption?

Answer 29

Mid-nineteenth century ## Footnote This was due to the invention of roller mills for grinding grain.

Question 30

What did Thomas Allinson suggest about the relationship between white bread and health?

Answer 30

White bread causes constipation and related ailments ## Footnote He linked this to chronic diseases.

Question 31

Who coined the term 'vitamine' and when?

Answer 31

Casimir Funk in 1912 ## Footnote This term later evolved into 'vitamin.'

Question 32

What chronic illnesses did Robert McCarrison link to the consumption of refined foods?

Answer 32

* Asthenic dyspepsia * Gastric ulcers * Appendicitis * Cancer ## Footnote He attributed these to diets lacking essential nutrients.

Question 33

What did the U.S. decree regarding white flour during World War II?

Answer 33

Millers had to enrich white flour with vitamins ## Footnote This included vitamin B, iron, and nicotinic acid.

Question 34

What did the concept of 'protective foods' refer to?

Answer 34

* Fresh meat * Fish * Eggs * Milk * Fruits * Vegetables ## Footnote These foods are necessary for a healthy diet.

Question 35

Fill in the blank: The absence of malignant cancer in isolated populations prompted questions about why cancer did develop elsewhere, leading to the hypothesis that _______ was the problem.

Answer 35

meat-eating

Question 36

True or False: The refining process of flour and sugar was considered beneficial for health throughout the nineteenth century.

Answer 36

True ## Footnote The debate focused on the advantages of digestibility versus the disadvantages of nutrient loss.