Cultural practices can lead to changes in human gene pools primarily through which practice?

Dietary practices can significantly influence human gene pools as they directly affect nutritional intake and health, which in turn can lead to natural selection. Certain diets can promote genetic adaptations over generations, such as lactose tolerance in populations that historically consumed dairy products. When a population adopts specific dietary habits, it can favor certain genetic traits that enhance digestion or metabolism of the foods prevalent in that diet.

While religious practices, technological advancements, and social interactions can shape cultural environments and indirectly influence gene pools through mating patterns or lifestyle changes, dietary practices have a more direct connection between food consumption and genetic adaptation. Gene flow and genetic drift are often influenced by the types of food people eat, which can change based on cultural practices and preferences. This makes dietary practices a key factor in the evolution and variation of human genetics.