1. Stephen Palma-Marinaro Period 1 6/11/13
An Investigation on the Evolution of Autoimmune Disease, Specifically Crohns Disease
Stephen Palma-Marinaro
Period 1
6/11/13

2. Ancient Lifestyle and Diet

3. Westernized diet

4. Non-Westernized Diet Low Blood Pressure Excellent Insulin Sensitivity
Lower Body Mass Index
Lower waist/Height ratio
Better Visual Activity
Lower Fracture Rates
Better Bone health

5. Industrial Revolution 1760-1830
Rise of Factories
Separation of household and plant

6. Autoimmune Diseases

8. Crohn’s Disease
Autoimmune disease that produces an inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract.
Genetics
NOD2 gene defect
Bacterial flora of gut
Mycobacterium avium Paratuberculosis
(MAP)
Bacteroides
Smoking
Stress
Diet*

9. Crohn’s Disease 400,000-500,000 cases of Crohn’s disease in the U.S.A.
Sign/ Symptom
Description
Diarrhea
Typically 4 episodes per day.
Abdominal pain or cramping
Moderate to severe tenderness
Blood in stool
Present
Weight loss/ anorexia
Common due to poor digestion & intestinal absorption
Appetite
Decreased
Risk of colon cancer
Increased
(Economoua & Pappas, 2007)
(Head & Jurenka, 2003)
400, ,000 cases of Crohn’s disease in the U.S.A.
2007 reports highest incidence rates in: New Zealand, Canada, Scotland, France, Netherlands and Scandinavia.

10. Link Between Modern Diet and Crohn’s
Autoimmune diseases are rare or virtually absent in hunter-gatherers and non-westernized populations.

11. Treatments for Crohn’s Disease
Conventional Treatments:
Surgery, Elemental Diet, Antibiotics, Corticosteroids

12. Works Cited
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. (accessed
27 November 2012).
Andoh, A., H. Imaeda., T. Aomatsu., O. Inatomi., S. Bamba., M. Sasaki., Y. Saito., TTsujikawa. And Y. Fuhiyama Comparison of the fecal microbiota profiles between
ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease using terminal restriction fragment length
polymorphism analysis. Journal of Gastroenterology 46:
Bach, J.F.? Increasing rate of Crohn's Disease and other immune disorders. New England Journal of Medicine 347:
Baylor College of Medicine. The Human Microbiome Project.
(5 December 2012).
Hermon-Taylor, J Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis: the nature of the
problem. Food Control 12:
Lindeberg S Food and Western Disease: Health and Nutrition from an Evolutionary
Perspective. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.
United States National Library of Medicine. Immune Response.
(accessed 28 November 2012).