
More evidence that a population's type of agriculture shaped its recent evolution. China has rice and non-rice zones (green is paddy rice). A new study compare polygenic scores (PGS) for various traits for Chinese from the two zones.
PGS and % rice Seems like a relationship for 1 height 3 & 4 alcohol metabolism capacity (ADH1B ALDH2) 5 mental health (depression) 6 time preference 7 age of first birth But not for 2 BMI 8 education attainment 9 risk preference.
Source: Relationship between rice farming and polygenic scores potentially linked to agriculture in China
Why would rice farmers be more likely to have the "Asian flush" alcohol effect? Was there a stronger selective pressure against alcoholism?
Lower age of first birth perhaps makes sense because rice is more productive. But, Southern China was also the malaria zone, so that may be a confound.
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