By far the majority of slaves imported to the Americas came from West Africa. While it appears that African Americans have a higher rate of hypertension than do West Africans in general, some biological evidence exists to suggest genetics is at play. Diet plays some role & it is uncertain if West Africans would display the same amount of hypertension as Americans, given the same diet.
The methods of testing this would be to test West Africans living on a typical African diet & those living on a Western Diet. Some suspect that only those living on a high salt diet & having a general propensity toward hypertension survived the Atlantic crossing.
One would be required to have several control groups: 1) West Africans on an African diet. 2) West Africans on a Western diet. 3) African Americans on an African diet. 4) African Americans on a Western diet.
By far the majority of slaves imported to the Americas came from West Africa. While it appears that African Americans have a higher rate of hypertension than do West Africans in general, some biological evidence exists to suggest genetics is at play. Diet plays some role & it is uncertain if West Africans would display the same amount of hypertension as Americans, given the same diet.
The methods of testing this would be to test West Africans living on a typical African diet & those living on a Western Diet. Some suspect that only those living on a high salt diet & having a general propensity toward hypertension survived the Atlantic crossing.
One would be required to have several control groups: 1) West Africans on an African diet. 2) West Africans on a Western diet. 3) African Americans on an African diet. 4) African Americans on a Western diet.