Quote:
The A haplotype conferring lactose tolerance has an 86% frequency in the northern European population, but only 36% in southern European populations.
Lactose intolerance rates as given on the above site:
Southeast Asians/98%
Asian Americans/90%
Alaskan Eskimo/80%
African Americans Adults/79%
Mexicans from rural communities/73.8%
North American Jews/68.8%
Creek Cypriots/66%
Cretans/56%
Mexican American Males/55%
Indian Adults/50%
African American Children/45%
Indian Children/20%
Caucasians of N. European and Scandinavian decent/5%
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Its genetic, lactose tolerance is a somewhat recent mutation from northern Europe which has spread but it still somewhat rare in most parts of the world.
Whats interesting to me is that often lactose intolerance is thought of as a disease, when in reality thats the human normal, tolerance is the recent mutation.