Lifestyle-related diseases including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and hypercholesterolemia are the results of both genetic and environmental factors. The genetic factor is mainly composed of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and environmental factors include diet, exercise, drinking and smoking. The ethnic difference in the frequency of SNP may be caused by natural selection depending on the types of agricultures in human history. The resistance against starvation among Japanese is caused by many SNPs including those in beta-adrenergic receptor, uncoupling proteins, calpain 10, PPAR-gamma, leptin receptor. Hypertension of Japanese is also caused by SNP for factors retaining salt, such as angiotensinogen, aldosterone synthase and angiotensin converting enzyme. T-type SNP of angiotensinogen was needed for apes living in the tropical forest, but is predisposing hypertension in the modern society. The ethnic differences in digestion of lactase may be the result of Rabi agriculture, those in aldehyde dehydrogenase and gulonolactone dehydrogenase are caused by the tropical foods. Japanese diet is based on the Ubi agriculture of Jomon era since 10, 000 years before present (YBP), and rice growing of Yayoi era since 3, 000 YBP. However, there are strong impacts of westernization including that of Rabi agriculture after 1945. We have studied SNPs in Palau as a model of Mongoloids because of their rapid increase in diabetes by westernization. SNPs saving energy were found in PPAR-gamma, UCP3 promotor, leptin receptor etc.(Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 281, 772, 2001). We also analyzed SNPs of the patients who were educated 25-31 years ago. Despite differeces in SNPs (betaadrenergic receptor, apoE and mtDNA), the special dietary habits (four-group point method) prevented most of the lifestyle-related diseases. Finally, total analysis of mtDNA from patients of encephalomyopathy detected three new mutation points.
In conclusion, the merit of traditional Japanese diet will prevent Japanese from obesity and diabetes mellitus, because of their special SNPs regulating metabolism.

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現生人類は多様な食生態を有しているが,その生物学的特徴がどのような進化を経て獲得されたかについては,明らかになっていない。人類化石や遺跡から出土する古人骨で,炭素や窒素,ストロンチウムなどの同位体を測定することで,絶滅した化石人類や過去の人類集団の食生態が徐々に復元され,その謎が解き明かされつつある。また,個人の移動履歴から婚姻ネットワークを復元するなど,古人骨の同位体情報を用いた新たな研究も展開している。

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中学生・高校生に対し，形質人類学的テーマに関する実習授業を行った。授業後のアンケート調査の分析から，生徒たちそれぞれの発達に応じた興味関心を，高いレベルで抱かせることができたとわかった。生徒を惹きつけられる人類学は，高い教育的効果が期待でき，それゆえ学校側にニーズがあると考えられる。また中学校教員向けに実施した研修会を通して，学校において形質人類学を普及させるためには，標本類の充実と，教員への知識の伝授が重要であることが示唆された。

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初等中等教育の限られた授業時間の中で，生徒たちに人類学および人類進化の本質を理解させ，現在と未来の私たちのあるべき姿を考えるヒントを与えられるような試案を提示した。具体的には，教えるべき理解の要点，教える際の注意点，簡易なストーリー説明，「人間らしさ」を示す最新の研究結果によるトピックを簡略に述べた。

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I will briefly describe the history of Japanese facial skeletons before describing that of Japanese beauties. Japanese facial skeletons significantly changed with a diet shift from animal protein by mobile hunting and gathering to plant protein by sedentary agriculture probably around the 3rd century BC. In addition, Japanese facial features were diversified because different races immigrated from the north and the south to this vertically long country, and were mixed together. As far as women’s faces are concerned, the first painting of female faces in Japan is a mural of beautiful women from Takamatsuzuka Tomb painted allegedly around the late 7th to 8th century. Japanese female faces in ancient times can be seen only in portraits and sculptures, which were commissioned by rich men. It may be said that the Japanese standards of beautiful faces were established by upper-class people in those times. Around the 17th century, Ukiyo-e artists began painting “Bijin-ga”, or pictures of beautiful women who were popular among ordinary people rather than rich people. In addition, since photography was introduced into Japan in the late 19th century, the standards of beautiful faces in Japan significantly changed according to the facial preference of ordinary people. I will discuss the history of standards of beautiful female faces in the period shifting from painted portraits to photographed portraits in Japan.

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