Tag: Indigenous populations

Worldwide, it is estimated that about 65% of the adult human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, yet in some populations, lactase activity persists into adulthood. The most lactose tolerant people are predominantly of Northern European descent, with certain pastoralist groups in Africa and the Middle East also showing high rates of lactase persistence.

Approximately 65% of the global adult population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, while estimates suggest this figure is nearly 100% among some American Indian communities. The reason why so many natives are lactose intolerant is rooted not in a medical disorder, but in human evolutionary history and ancestral dietary habits.