Abstract

Data on hunter-gatherer food sharing often play a large role in shaping models of the evolution of human life history. However, the focus on shared foods, largely to the exclusion of non-shared foods, has meant that several important aspects of both men’s and women’s production have not been reported. Thus far, there are no studies investigating the extent to which women’s food acquisition affects their own fertility or the survivorship of their offspring. Additionally, no quantitative studies report the amounts of food that men eat while foraging, before returning to their households either empty-handed or with foods to share. Understanding primary production and consumption is critical for understanding the nature of sharing and the extent to which sharing and provisioning supports reproduction in hunter-gatherers.