Cultural Evolution And Disease

Question 1

Compare the life expectancy of modern human hunter gatherers to wild chimpanzees

Answer 1

The life of humans (H&G) is 2 fold that of chimpanzees

Note there is a high early mortality rate, half of those who reach 20yo will reach 60yo

Question 2

What are the main causes of death in th H&G and chimpanzees

Answer 2

1. Infectious Diseases
2. Violent Death
   In both populations the incidence of degenerative diseases is very very low (heart attacks, strokes, obesity and hypertension are extremely rare)

Question 3

Where are degenerative diseases an important cause of death? Elaborate

Answer 3

In developed countries
(Cancer and heart disease are the most frequent)
Chronic illnesses are very common but more difficult to identify as causes of death as more proximal causes are more likely to be mentioned