Evolutionary Medicine and Health: New Perspectives / Edition 1

by Wenda R. Trevathan, E. O. Smith, James McKenna

Overview

Building on the success of their groundbreaking anthology Evolutionary Medicine (OUP, 1999), Wenda R. Trevathan, E. O. Smith, and James J. McKenna provide an up-to-date and thought-provoking introduction to the field with this new collection of essays. Ideal for courses in evolutionary medicine, medical anthropology, and the evolution of human disease, Evolutionary Medicine and Health: New Perspectives presents twenty-three original articles that examine how human evolution relates to a broad range of contemporary health problems including infectious, chronic, nutritional, and mental diseases and disorders. Topics covered include disease susceptibility in cultural context, substance abuse and addiction, sleep disorders, preeclampsia, altitude-related hypoxia, the biological context of menstruation, and the role of stress in modern life.

An international team of preeminent scholars in biological anthropology, medicine, biology, psychology, and geography contributed the selections. Together they represent a uniquely integrative and multidisciplinary approach that takes into account the dialogue between biology and culture as it relates to understanding, treating, and preventing disease. A common theme throughout is the description of cases in which biological human development conflicts with culturally based individual behaviors that determine health outcomes. Detailed, evidence-based arguments make the case that all aspects of the human condition covered in the volume have an evolutionary basis, while theoretical discussions using other empirical evidence critique the gaps that still remain in evolutionary approaches to health.

Evolutionary Medicine and Health: New Perspectives features an introductory overview that covers the field's diverse array of topics, questions, lines of evidence, and perspectives. In addition, the editors provide introductions to each essay and an extensive bibliography that represents a state-of-the-art survey of the literature. A companionwebsite at www.oup.com/us/evolmed offers a full bibliography and links to source articles, reports, and databases. Written in an engaging style that is accessible to students, professionals, and general readers, this book offers a unique look at how an evolutionary perspective has become increasingly relevant to the health field and medical practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195307061
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/30/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.10(d)

Table of Contents

, Preface, ContributorsPART ONE. BACKGROUND1. Introduction and Overview of Evolutionary Medicine, Wenda Trevathan, E. O. Smith, and James J. McKennaPART TWO. Politics, Nutrition, and Diet2. Human Evolution, Diet, and Nutrition: When the Body Meets the Buffet, Bethany L. Turner, Kenneth Maes, Jennifer Sweeney, and George J. Armelagos3. Diabesity and Darwinian Medicine: The Evolution of an Epidemic, Leslie Sue Lieberman4. To Eat or What Not To Eat, That's the Question: A Critique of the Official Norwegian Dietary Guidelines, Iver Mysterud, Dag Viljen Poleszynski, Fedon A. Lindberg, and Stig A. Bruset5. Cow's Milk Consumption and Health: An Evolutionary Perspective, Andrea S. WileyPART THREE. SEX, REPRODUCTION, AND HEALTH6. Not by Bread Alone: The Role of Psychosocial Stress in Age at First Reproduction and Health Inequalities, James S. Chisholm and David A. Coall7. Early Life Effects on Reproductive Function, Alejandra Núñez-de la Mora and Gillian R. Bentley8. Impaired Reproductive Function in Women in Western and "Westernizing" Populations: An Evolutionary Approach, Tessa M. Pollard and Nigel Unwin9. Should Women Menstruate? An Evolutionary Perspective on Menstrual-Suppressing Oral Contraceptives, Lynnette Leidy Sievert10. An Evolutionary Perspective on Premenstrual Syndrome: Implications for Investigating Infectious Causes of Chronic Disease, Caroline Doyle, Holly A. Swain Ewald, and Paul W. Ewald11. The Possible Role of Eclampsia/Preeclampsia in the Evolution of Human Reproduction, Pierre-Yves Robillard, Gustaaf Dekker, Gérard Chaouat, Jean Chaline, and Thomas C. HulseyPART FOUR. ENVIRONMENTS, NORMALITY, AND LIFETIME HEALTH12. Breastfeeding and Mother-Infant Sleep Proximity: Implications for Infant Care, Helen Ball and Kristin Klingaman13. Why Words Can Hurt Us: Social Relationships, Stress, and Health, Mark V. Flinn14. Why Are We Vulnerable to Acute Mountain Sickness?, Cynthia M. Beall15. Evolution and Modern Behavioral Problems: The Case of Addiction, Daniel H. Lende16. After Dark: The Evolutionary Ecology of Human Sleep, Carol M. WorthmanPART FIVE. CHRONIC DISEASES, OLD TREATMENTS, AND MORE MISUNDERSTANDING17. Evolutionary Medicine and Obesity: Developmental Adaptive Responses in Human Body Composition, Jack Baker, Magdalena Hurtado, Osbjorn Pearson, and Troy Jones18. The Developmental Origins of Adult Health: Intergenerational Inertia in Adaptation and Disease, Christopher W. Kuzawa19. An Evolutionary Perspective on the Causes of Chronic Diseases: Atherosclerosis as an Illustration, Paul W. Ewald20. Genes, Geographic Ancestry, and Disease Susceptibility: Applications of Evolutionary Medicine to Clinical Settings, Douglas E. Crews and Linda M. Gerber21. From Ancient Seas to Modern Disease: Evolution and Congestive Heart Failure, E. Jennifer Weil22. Evolution at the Intersection of Biology and Medicine, Stephen Lewis23. The Importance of Evolution for Medicine, Randolph M. Nesse, Notes, References, Index

Editorial Reviews

"This is a wonderful addition to Evolutionary Medicine, and both fill a unique niche. These are the best examples of why evolution is so pertinent to contemporary medicine. The chapters are provocative and force students to think in new ways. In some chapters, standard practice is turned on its head. We need future health practitioners to be thinking outside of the box. This book is an incredibly important contribution to the literature."--Joan Stevenson, Western Washington University

"This is a wonderful addition to Evolutionary Medicine, and both fill a unique niche. These are the best examples of why evolution is so pertinent to contemporary medicine. The chapters are provocative and force students to think in new ways. In some chapters, standard practice is turned on its head. We need future health practitioners to be thinking outside of the box. This book is an incredibly important contribution to the literature."--Joan Stevenson, Western Washington University


"This is a wonderful addition to Evolutionary Medicine, and both fill a unique niche. These are the best examples of why evolution is so pertinent to contemporary medicine. The chapters are provocative and force students to think in new ways. In some chapters, standard practice is turned on its
head. We need future health practitioners to be thinking outside of the box. This book is an incredibly important contribution to the literature."--Joan Stevenson, Western Washington University

From the Publisher