Cover of the book. PHOTO:

Doctors Alfredo Martínez, Fermín Milagro and Javier Campión, from the department of Food Sciences, Physiology and Toxicology of the University of Navarra, have participated, together with other experts in Nutrition, in the elaboration of the book on per diem expenses and human evolution.

The starting point of the work was the workshop "per diem expenses andhuman evolution: past adaptations and new challenges in Nutrigenomics", which took place at the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos, organized by the Chair Tomas Pascual Sanz-CENIEH.

Following the meeting, the experts of the School of Pharmacy have prepared the chapter"Human evolution and obesity/diabetes: are we predetermined by our genes?". In it they defend the hypothesis that the increase in the prevalence of metabolic diseases in today's society has its origin in various causes.

These include human evolution itself, which for millions of years has selected a "thrifty" genotype that allowed those who possessed it greater chances of survival in times of famine. "Also the current lifestyle, with a lower energy expense due to lack of physical exercise, and a continuous food availability ; and epigenetic factors derived from the diet of our parents and grandparents, who were used to a less energetic per diem expenses , could predispose our metabolism to greater energy savings," says Fermín Milagro.

Finally, the academic center's Nutrition expert adds that this chapter includes the possibility that epigenetic or endocrine modifications during gestation and lactation -depending on the mother's per diem expenses , stress or certain toxic products- could also predispose to obesity and diabetes in adulthood.