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Biological Mismatch Theory

Meaning

The Biological Mismatch Theory posits that many chronic diseases and systemic health deficits observed in modern human populations result from a fundamental discordance between our current lifestyle and the specific environmental conditions under which human physiology genetically evolved. This influential theory suggests that the human genome and its complex regulatory systems are optimized for an ancestral, paleolithic environment, rendering them poorly adapted to contemporary factors like highly processed foods, sedentary behavior, and chronic, low-grade psychological stress. It offers a crucial, unifying framework for understanding the root causes of pervasive metabolic and hormonal dysfunction.