THE THRIFTY GENE HYPOTHESIS: A TOTAL REVIEW

Abstract

The thrifty gene hypothesis as created by James Neel states that there are human genes that have evolved to allow greater storage and utilization of food, and this has led to the increase in type II diabetes (Neel, Diabetes Mellitus 355). In the review of this major idea, this paper will highlight the different areas of research that have occurred over the past 80 years studying the thrifty gene hypothesis to see how this hypothesis may be applicable to the research of type II diabetes today. The study follows a linear trend beginning with the oldest research and the origins of the hypothesis, the further research done in later decades that reevaluates the hypothesis, and finally the current research and how the hypothesis can be interpreted today. From this review it was found that the original thrifty gene hypothesis is not directly correlated with modern ideas surrounding the causation of type II diabetes, however it has informed many aspects of research into type II diabetes and gives important insight into how this disease can be treated or prevented. These findings come from studies on the thrifty gene hypothesis, studies of diabetes, ethical considerations of populations studied, studies of the thrifty phenotype, and from studies on genetic research.