Doctors like to remind patients not to monkey around with their health, suggesting that a good diet and regular exercise improve longevity.
A new study on health in chimpanzees, which are the closest species to humans genetically, showed the benefits in what they eat and how they can travel and climb.
When chimpanzees have a plant-based diet and substantial opportunities to exercise, they fall into “healthy” human ranges. Lab chimpanzees, whose diet and exercise were limited, showed conditions indicative of cardiovascular disease risk, more like sedentary people.
Chimpanzees are critical for understanding the evolution of human health and longevity. Cardiovascular disease—a major source of mortality during aging in humans—is a key issue for comparative medicine.
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Image via Innocent Ampeire.