The “mismatch” between evolved human physiology and Western lifestyles is thought to explain the current epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in industrialized societies. However, this hypothesis has been difficult to test because few populations concurrently span ancestral and modern lifestyles. To address this gap, we collected interview and biomarker data from individuals of Turkana ancestry who practice subsistence-level, nomadic pastoralism (the ancestral way of life for this group), as well as individuals who no longer practice pastoralism and live in urban areas. We found that Turkana who move to cities exhibit poor cardio-metabolic health, partially because of a shift toward “Western diets” high in refined carbohydrates. We also show that being born in an urban area independently predicts adult health, such that life-long city dwellers will experience the greatest CVD risk. By focusing on a unique and dramatic lifestyle gradient, our work thus informs the timing, magnitude, and evolutionary causes of CVD.

The data were collected and processed as described in Lea et al. 2020, Science Advances.

Missing values are indicated by NA.

The columns of the data file are as follows:

Individual ID - unique identifier for each sampled individual
Waist circumference - an average of 3 measurements, reported in cm
Systolic BP - reported in mm Hg
Diastolic BP - reported in mm Hg
Blood glucose - measured from blood, reported in mg/dl
Body fat - measured using electrical impedence, reported as a percentage
Total cholesterol - measured from blood, reported in mg/dl
HDL cholesterol - measured from blood, reported in mg/dl
Triglycerides - measured from blood, reported in mg/dl
LDL cholesterol - measured from blood, reported in mg/dl
Sex - self reported sex
Age - self reported age
BMI - reported in kg/m2
Lifestyle category - a categorical variable defined as in Lea et al. 2020, Science Advances