Macronutrient Analysis in Western Diets Compared to Modern Hunter-Gatherer and Paleolithic Diet Concentrations

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dc.contributor.advisorLewis, Kerrie P.
dc.contributor.authorSchnorr, Stephanieen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberErhart, Elizabeth M.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberCrixell, Sylvia L.
dc.date.accessioned2010-10-22T20:38:40Z
dc.date.available2012-02-24T10:21:14Z
dc.date.issued2010-08en_US
dc.description.abstractModern societies experience diminished amounts of physical activity in the daily lives of westernized populations and an emphasis on refined agricultural foods in the diet. This study investigates the interplay between diet and activity in terms of everyday food choice. I predicted that strenuous physical activity, with total energy expenditure (TEE) over resting metabolic rate (RMR) = 1.8, should impact the dietary needs of a body, and that as such, athletic individuals would maintain macronutrient profiles closely aligned with that of modern hunter-gatherers: 19-35% protein, 28-58% fat, and 22-40% carbohydrate. If the macronutrient percentage of modern athletic diets corresponds closely with that of modern hunter-gatherer diets, then perhaps an active lifestyle induces natural preferences for the same type and quantity of macronutrients that our Paleolithic ancestors ate. I conducted an online survey of university students to obtain 24 hour dietary recall and daily physical activity logs for each individual. My data show that 64.9% of subjects exhibited an athletic profile (TEE/RMR = 1.8), while only 4.6% matched the hunter-gatherer macronutrient profile. Only 1.3% met hunter-gatherer values for both diet and physical activity. Ancestral human diets were restricted to nutritionally dense foods to accommodate a small gut, large brain, and active metabolism. However, 94% of athletic subjects matched a modern dietary profile associated with sedentary populations; one that emphasizes refined carbohydrates (> 40% total calories). I discuss important health implications related to this dietary shift over time and how current nutritional guidelines influence the dietary decisions of modern western athletic individuals.en_US
dc.description.departmentAnthropology
dc.formatText
dc.format.extent157 pages
dc.format.medium1 file (.pdf)
dc.identifier.citationSchnorr, S. L. (2010). <i>Macronutrient analysis in western diets compared to modern hunter-gatherer and paleolithic diet concentrations</i> (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/4061
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjectHunter-gathereren_US
dc.subjectMacronutrienten_US
dc.subjectDieten_US
dc.subjectPaleolithicen_US
dc.subjectPhysical activityen_US
dc.subjectBioenergeticen_US
dc.subjectMetabolic syndromeen_US
dc.subject.classificationAnthropologyen_US
dc.titleMacronutrient Analysis in Western Diets Compared to Modern Hunter-Gatherer and Paleolithic Diet Concentrationsen_US
dc.typeThesis
thesis.degree.departmentAnthropology
thesis.degree.disciplineAnthropology
thesis.degree.grantorTexas State University-San Marcos
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Arts

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