Transition from a hunter-gatherer to a settled life-style among the !Kung San (bushmen): effect on glucose tolerance and insulin secretion

Kung San oj the north-western Kalahari (in 1970 and relatively impaired oral glucose tolerance and low insulin secretion were jound. A genetically similar San community that has jollowed a settled life-style jor the past 15 years was the subject oj the present A group oj 24 adult males underwent 2-hour oral glucose tolerance tests, with measurement oj plasma serum insulin and C-peptide concentrations. Glucose tolerance had improved significantly and serum insulin levels were even lower when compared with the results oj the previous studies. Methodological difjerences do not appear adequately to explain these changes, which we attribute largely to enhanced insulin sensitivity, probably related 10 the much higher carbohydrate intake oj the settled San community.