In this chapter, we will briefly explore the genetic adaptations of anatomically modern humans resulting from their migration out of Africa to new geographic and climatic environments in Asia and Europe. This migration influenced disease resistance and dietary diversity. The genetic basis for variations within and among human populations has been extensively studied and cataloged by large consortia, such as the 1000 Genomes Project. Genome-wide genotyping and whole genome sequencing now enable the study and analysis of complex diseases like T2D and CVD, based on dozens to hundreds of genetic variants, including single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy number variations (CNVs).