Tag: Dietary history

By biological definition, an omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and other animals. A scientific examination of human physiology, anatomy, and evolutionary history provides compelling evidence that humans are omnivores, capable of deriving nutrition from a diverse range of plant and animal sources.

Long before modern vegetarianism, a 2025 study on Australopithecus fossils revealed our distant hominin ancestors lived almost entirely on a plant-based diet. Beyond these early origins, several ancient civilizations and philosophical movements incorporated meat-free diets for ethical, spiritual, and philosophical reasons.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is an imbalance in a person's intake of nutrients and energy, which can involve both undernutrition and overnutrition. In a community setting, nurses employ a holistic approach to evaluate a patient's diet and health, identifying nutritional issues and associated risk factors. This comprehensive assessment is crucial for designing effective interventions and improving patient outcomes.

According to a 2024 review in *Cureus*, ethical and environmental concerns are the most common reasons for adopting a vegan diet, yet some advocates also make comparative anatomy arguments to explain why vegans think humans are herbivores. This article examines the specific biological claims used to support this perspective and contrasts them with the broader evolutionary and anatomical evidence indicating human omnivory.

Before the ubiquitous Food Guide Pyramid of the 1990s, the USDA introduced an influential nutritional diagram in 1984 known as the Food Wheel. This circular guide marked a significant shift in American dietary recommendations, moving beyond simple nutrient adequacy to focus on the overall diet.

Launched in the mid-1980s, the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study embarked on a multi-decade research mission, which has since led to a common misconception about the "Cardia diet". This article clarifies that the Cardia diet is not a meal plan but rather the dietary history questionnaire used by researchers to collect data, contributing to our understanding of heart health over a lifetime.

According to research from 2017 to 2018, approximately 3% of adults worldwide were pescetarian, following a dietary path that combines plant-based eating with seafood. The question, "Where do pescatarians come from?" reveals a fascinating history that is both ancient and modern, shaped by diverse cultures and evolving motivations.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, nutritional assessment requires critical observation and analytical skills to identify physical indications of a patient’s health. A comprehensive understanding of a patient's nutrition history is a fundamental step in this process, providing essential context for their overall health and well-being.

Archaeological records show that early hominins were incorporating meat into their diet as far back as 2.6 million years ago, signaling a pivotal moment in our evolutionary history. This extensive evidence, paired with our modern biological makeup, provides a clear answer to the question: what type of diet are humans?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition encompasses undernutrition, micronutrient-related malnutrition, and overweight/obesity. A comprehensive nutrition assessment uses a multi-faceted approach, combining several key components to build a complete picture of an individual's nutritional status and identify potential imbalances.