TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of brain evolution on human nutrition and metabolism
AU - Leonard, William
AU - Snodgrass, J. Josh
AU - Robertson, Marcia L.
PY - 2007/12/1
Y1 - 2007/12/1
N2 - The evolution of large human brain size has had important implications for the nutritional biology of our species. Large brains are energetically expensive, and humans expend a larger proportion of their energy budget on brain metabolism than other primates. The high costs of large human brains are supported, in part, by our energy- and nutrient-rich diets. Among primates, relative brain size is positively correlated with dietary quality, and humans fall at the positive end of this relationship. Consistent with an adaptation to a high-quality diet, humans have relatively small gastrointestinal tracts. In addition, humans are relatively "undermuscled" and "over fat" compared with other primates, features that help to offset the high energy demands of our brains. Paleontological evidence indicates that rapid brain evolution occurred with the emergence of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago and was associated with important changes in diet, body size, and foraging behavior.
AB - The evolution of large human brain size has had important implications for the nutritional biology of our species. Large brains are energetically expensive, and humans expend a larger proportion of their energy budget on brain metabolism than other primates. The high costs of large human brains are supported, in part, by our energy- and nutrient-rich diets. Among primates, relative brain size is positively correlated with dietary quality, and humans fall at the positive end of this relationship. Consistent with an adaptation to a high-quality diet, humans have relatively small gastrointestinal tracts. In addition, humans are relatively "undermuscled" and "over fat" compared with other primates, features that help to offset the high energy demands of our brains. Paleontological evidence indicates that rapid brain evolution occurred with the emergence of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago and was associated with important changes in diet, body size, and foraging behavior.
KW - Body composition
KW - Diet quality
KW - Encephalization
KW - Hominin
KW - Homo erectus
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U2 - 10.1146/annurev.nutr.27.061406.093659
DO - 10.1146/annurev.nutr.27.061406.093659
M3 - Review article
C2 - 17439362
AN - SCOPUS:38449091845
VL - 27
SP - 311
EP - 327
JO - Annual Review of Nutrition
JF - Annual Review of Nutrition
SN - 0199-9885
ER -