When I wrote this, I was actually more interested in the role environment has on inheritance and development. I think that is a pressing concern, something we can affect through policy. Genomic imprinting (epigenetics) offers a great opportunity to separate genetic destiny from external influences. This blog would have been far too long if I explored that, but this is where I am going. This has implications not only for social policy but also for health--all kinds of diseases (metabolic, psychological, cancers) have been associated with mistakes in methylation. Anyway, the battle of the sexes was just a hook :)

During my pregnancies I was hungry all the time. I ate well but wisely. Carried fruit around with me to stave off cravings. I was quite an omnivore :)

I think that your description of diet during pregnancy makes a good point: we don't have scarcity of food resources. We don't have to worry about rationing because we have abundance. Maybe this system of limiting the growth of the fetus evolved in a time of scarcer resources, when we were hunter gatherers and food supply was not certain. Just a thought....

I see you have a post! Look forward to reading it!