4 ms·

aren't Sardinians quite pale?

by mjfl 3y ago

sph 3y ago
Compared to whom? To people from Sicily and Calabria, maybe. To Northern Europeans or even Northern Italians, no way.
- mjfl 3y ago
  Paler than me. and I am of Irish/French ancestry. Though my French side is very 'Med'. Sardinians are paler than other Mediterranean people.
  - darkclouds 3y ago
    Chemicals in the diet and environment along with other environmental phenomena can switch genes on and off (gene expression) which can alter peoples appearance and habits. Vit D is one such example of gene expression. "The actions of the vitamin D hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) are mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a ligand-activated transcription factor that functions to control gene expression" [1] So with this in mind, and knowing there are bacteria that will pretty much survive in any environment, consuming minerals which reduces availability for human consumption, how much of a humans characteristics are controlled by diet and the environment? I would say alot. For example here in the UK, over the last 50 years, I have witnessed the reduction of dense muscle and fat in Caucasians, which in extreme will make it impossible to swim as they sink, a phenomena still seen in Black people today. [2] Our diets are changing, and due to global food companies, food store standardisation, seed companies, agrichemical and govt legislation, people have changed quite considerably in the western world over the last 100 years, simply from the change in their diet! [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879406 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879406 [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28561485/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28561485/
    - mjfl 3y ago
      You’ve seen people get less fat in the past 50 years?
      - darkclouds 3y ago
        > reduction of dense muscle and fat reduction of dense muscle and --->increased<-- fat
  - sph 3y ago
    Interesting. I get what you mean, but I think it might be confirmation bias. My Sardinian friends are not very dark, but I would not say they are lighter than an Irish person would. They look Mediterranean through and through, but not very dark. I wonder if anemia and thalassemia can explain a lighter skin tone, which is very common in Sardinia AFAIK.
    - mjfl 3y ago
      I just see them as pale skinned people with black hair. It's a characteristic look you see.

aren't Sardinians quite pale?

by mjfl 3y ago

aren't Sardinians quite pale?

sph 3y ago

Compared to whom? To people from Sicily and Calabria, maybe. To Northern Europeans or even Northern Italians, no way.

mjfl 3y ago
Paler than me. and I am of Irish/French ancestry. Though my French side is very 'Med'. Sardinians are paler than other Mediterranean people.
- darkclouds 3y ago
  Chemicals in the diet and environment along with other environmental phenomena can switch genes on and off (gene expression) which can alter peoples appearance and habits. Vit D is one such example of gene expression. "The actions of the vitamin D hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) are mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a ligand-activated transcription factor that functions to control gene expression" [1] So with this in mind, and knowing there are bacteria that will pretty much survive in any environment, consuming minerals which reduces availability for human consumption, how much of a humans characteristics are controlled by diet and the environment? I would say alot. For example here in the UK, over the last 50 years, I have witnessed the reduction of dense muscle and fat in Caucasians, which in extreme will make it impossible to swim as they sink, a phenomena still seen in Black people today. [2] Our diets are changing, and due to global food companies, food store standardisation, seed companies, agrichemical and govt legislation, people have changed quite considerably in the western world over the last 100 years, simply from the change in their diet! [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879406 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879406 [2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28561485/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28561485/
  - mjfl 3y ago
    You’ve seen people get less fat in the past 50 years?
    - darkclouds 3y ago
      > reduction of dense muscle and fat reduction of dense muscle and --->increased<-- fat
- sph 3y ago
  Interesting. I get what you mean, but I think it might be confirmation bias. My Sardinian friends are not very dark, but I would not say they are lighter than an Irish person would. They look Mediterranean through and through, but not very dark. I wonder if anemia and thalassemia can explain a lighter skin tone, which is very common in Sardinia AFAIK.
  - mjfl 3y ago
    I just see them as pale skinned people with black hair. It's a characteristic look you see.