Bolivia’s indigenous Tsimane people are largely isolated from most modern conveniences. They farm, hunt and otherwise expend a lot of energy to survive, walking on average 17,000 steps daily. Anthropologists and other scientists have long puzzled over the fact that older Tsimane are much less likely to develop heart disease and dementia than people in Western societies.
New research on the Tsimane, along with separate new findings on dementia’s causes, help explain the mystery and offer a sobering commentary on the side effects of modern life.