Dr. Mubin Syed, a physician and author, claims that decades of British-era famines have left a deep biological imprint on South Asian populations. In his book Healing From Our History, he links repeated colonial-period starvation and deprivation to the high prevalence of heart disease, diabetes and metabolic disorders across the region today.

His interest in the issue began after suffering a heart attack at age 52 — despite having no traditional risk factors such as smoking or poor lifestyle. That shock prompted him to dig into history and biology. What he discovered, he says, explains why many seemingly healthy South Asians develop serious cardiometabolic diseases at younger ages.

According to Syed, South Asians now suffer up to four times higher rates of heart disease and diabetes, and roughly double the risk of metabolic syndrome compared to many global averages.

🔬 The Legacy of Colonial-Era Famine

Syed and many emerging researchers point to a phenomenon called “evolutionary mismatch.” They argue that severe, repeated famines under colonial rule triggered biological adaptations — such as altered fat-storage, insulin resistance, and metabolic efficiency — which helped individuals survive scarcity in the past.

However, when those famine-adapted bodies now face modern lifestyles with abundant food and sedentary habits, those same adaptations can backfire — resulting in high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and fatty-liver disease.

Syed notes that these health burdens often surface in people who are “thin, vegetarian, or otherwise healthy” by conventional metrics. This suggests that lifestyle alone does not explain the crisis — biology shaped by history does.

Moreover, researchers have traced epigenetic markers — biological changes caused by environmental stressors, like starvation — in descendants of famine-surviving populations across generations. Regions hit hardest by colonial famines often now show disproportionately high rates of metabolic diseases.

🌏 What This Means for Public Health Today

Understanding this legacy holds major implications for how South Asian health risks are viewed and managed. Medical practitioners, public-health experts, and policymakers may need to consider historical and genetic contexts — not only diet and lifestyle — while designing prevention and treatment strategies.

For instance, health screenings for South Asians might need earlier and more frequent monitoring of metabolic indicators. Dietary guidelines and public-health campaigns may also need to account for genetic predispositions shaped by centuries of deprivation.

In addition, acknowledging this history could shift societal perceptions — from blaming individuals’ habits to recognizing broader structural and historical causes. That might foster empathy and encourage community-wide approaches to health awareness and preventive care.

🔎 Why This Research Matters

Dr. Mubin Syed’s work challenges long-standing assumptions about health risks. It reveals how colonial injustices can echo across centuries — not only in economies and societies, but deep inside our biology.

His findings underline that health is not only a matter of personal lifestyle. Instead, it’s intertwined with history, environment, and inherited biology. For millions of South Asians worldwide, this insight offers both explanation and a call to reflect — and act.

If societies accept this narrative, health policies can become more inclusive, preventive measures more effective, and people more aware of hidden risks. Perhaps most importantly, it gives a renewed sense of agency: by understanding our history, we can better protect our future.