I’ve read that evolutionarily, Pacific Islanders have developed digestive systems catered towards fish and plant processing. It wasn’t until the introduction of fatty red meat in the last couple hundred years that the stereotypical Samoan/Hawaiian sumo-size came to be. Their digestive systems are just not evolved to efficiently process all of the fats. Any evolutionary biologists in the house know if this is true or not?[/quote]
You are referring to the Waianae Diet. An attempt to address the obesity and it’s related problems within the Hawaiian community. The problem when you refer to their digestive systems not evolving is whose has? Have you seen what these people eat??? Loco moco, mayonaise on chili, gravy, spam, potatoe salad….
They actually theorize that as for polynesian races inhabiting the furthermost islands (Hawaii), the larger individuals were the only ones capable of surviving. Think fat stores. So, the theory (which is pretty widely accepted) is the polynesians who were able to survive long canoe rides were larger to begin with. The Alii (ruling class) were actually quite rotund. It was a sign of wealth and privelege. They would actually have servants knead their stomachs to enable them to eat more so they could get bigger.
In my opinion the polynesians who eat right, surf, dive, work out, are an extremely physically beautiful people. The mixture of asian ethnicities with the polynesians has not hurt looks either.
Ahhhh, Hawaii. I went to college there and lived there for 13 years. I do miss it (but not the food).
