Amalea Ruffett

I am interested in evolutionary medicine and what might be called ‘applied evolutionary anthropology’. Currently, I am interested in using evolutionary and anthropological approaches to shed light on the variation in diet, eating behaviour, and body fatness among human societies. I am particularly interested in applying my research population health, with particular emphasis on reducing rates of obesity and the negative health outcomes it causes.

I have a Master's degree from Simon Fraser University and my MA project assessed some of the key recommendations of the popular but controversial Paleo Diet. Specifically, my study investigated cross-cultural variation in the plant component of hunter-gatherer diets to assess the validity of the Paleo Diet’s macronutrient recommendations. I am currently a PhD student at Simon Fraser University.