Most recent papers:

• Relationships between the second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) and game‐related statistics in semi‐professional female basketball players.
  Makailah Dyer, Sandra E. Short, Martin Short, John T. Manning, Grant R. Tomkinson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 12, 2017
  Objective Digit ratio (2D:4D) is a negative correlate of sports performance, although this relationship may be weak in open‐skill sports such as basketball. The primary aim was to quantify relationships between 2D:4D and game‐related statistics in semi‐professional female basketball players. The secondary aim was to quantify the differences in mean 2D:4Ds between players based on their position in the starting lineup. Methods Using a cross‐sectional design, 64 female basketball players who competed in the South Australian Premier League were measured in‐season for height, mass, and 2D:4D, with game‐related statistics collected end‐season. Partial correlations (adjusted for age and body mass index) were used to quantify relationships between right and left 2D:4Ds and game‐related statistics. Unpaired t‐tests were used to quantify differences in mean 2D:4Ds between starting and reserve players. Results 2D:4D was a substantial negative correlate of blocks, rebounds, and field‐goal percentage; meaning, females with lower 2D:4Ds were generally better defensively as they recorded more blocks and rebounds, and were more efficient scorers, irrespective of their age and body size. Mean 2D:4D differed by position in the starting lineup, as females with lower 2D:4Ds were more likely to be in the starting lineup. Conclusions This study found evidence that 2D:4D was a correlate of performance in an open‐skill sport. Female players with lower digit ratios tended to perform better in several aspects of basketball, especially defensively, and were more likely to be starters, suggesting they are the best players on the team in their positions. These results probably reflect the organizational benefits of prenatal testosterone.

  October 12, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23070   open full text
• Short‐term resource allocation during extensive athletic competition.
  Daniel P. Longman, Sean P. Prall, Eric C. Shattuck, Ian D. Stephen, Jay T. Stock, Jonathan C. K. Wells, Michael P. Muehlenbein.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 10, 2017
  Objectives Following predictions from life history theory, we sought to identify acute trade‐offs between reproductive effort (as measured by psychological arousal) and somatic maintenance (via functional measures of innate immunity) during conditions of severe energetic imbalance. Methods Sixty‐six male ultramarathon runners (ages 20 to 37 years) were sampled before and after a lengthy race. Saliva and sera were collected for testosterone and immunological analyses (hemolytic complement activity and bacterial killing ability). Lean body mass was assessed by bioelectrical impedance, and libido was measured using a slideshow of arousing and neutral images. Results Following predictions, there was a significant decrease in salivary testosterone levels (109.59 pg/mL versus 97.61 pg/mL, P < .001) and arousal scores in response to provocative images (5.40 versus 4.89, P = .001) between prerace and postrace time points. Additionally, participant bacterial killing ability (P = .035) and hemolytic complement activity (P = .021) increased between prerace and postrace. Conclusions Decreased libido and testosterone with concomitant heightened innate immune responses suggest a shift in energetic priorities away from reproduction and toward maintenance/defense during a period of energetic stress.

  October 10, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23052   open full text
• The cost of reproduction in women: Reproductive effort and oxidative stress in premenopausal and postmenopausal American women.
  Anna Ziomkiewicz, Amara Frumkin, Yawei Zhang, Amelia Sancilio, Richard G. Bribiescas.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 06, 2017
  Objectives Life history theory predicts a trade‐off between female investment in reproduction and somatic maintenance, which can result in accelerated senescence. Oxidative stress has been shown to be a causal physiological mechanism for accelerated aging and a possible contributor to this trade‐off. We aimed to test the hypothesis for the existence of significant associations between measures of reproductive effort and the level of oxidative stress biomarkers in premenopausal and postmenopausal American women. Methods Serum samples and questionnaire data were collected from 63 premenopausal and postmenopausal women (mean age 53.4 years), controls in the Connecticut Thyroid Health Study, between May 2010 and December 2013. Samples were analyzed for levels of 8‐OHdG and Cu/Zn‐SOD using immunoassay method. Results Levels of oxidative damage (8‐OHdG) but not oxidative defense (Cu/Zn‐SOD) were negatively associated with parity and number of sons in premenopausal women (r = −0.52 for parity, r = −0.52 for number of sons, P < .01). Together, measures of reproductive effort, women's BMI, age, and menopausal status explained around 15% of variance in level of 8‐OHdG. No association between reproductive effort characteristics and oxidative damage was found for postmenopausal women. Conclusions We found no evidence of a trade‐off between somatic maintenance as measured by 8‐OHdG and reproductive effort in women from this American population. On the contrary, higher gravidity and parity in premenopausal women was associated with lower damage to cellular DNA caused by oxidative stress. These results highlight the importance of population variation and environmental conditions when testing the occurrence of life‐history trade‐offs.

  October 06, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23069   open full text
• Association of common genetic variants with human skin color variation in Indian populations.
  Anujit Sarkar, Madhusudan R. Nandineni.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 06, 2017
  Objectives Human skin color is one of the most conspicuously variable physical traits that has attracted the attention of physical anthropologists, social scientists and human geneticists. Although several studies have established the underlying genes and their variants affecting human skin color, they were mostly confined to Europeans and Africans and similar studies in Indian populations have been scanty. Studying the association between candidate genetic variants and skin color will help to validate previous findings and to better understand the molecular mechanism of skin color variation. Methods In this study, 22 candidate SNPs from 12 genes were tested for association with skin color in 299 unrelated samples sourced from nine geographical locations in India. Results Our study establishes the association of 9 SNPs with the phenotype in Indian populations and could explain ∼31% of the variance in skin color. Haplotype analysis of chromosome 15 revealed a significant association of alleles G, A and C of SNPs rs1426654, rs11070627, and rs12913316, respectively, to the phenotype, and accounted for 17% of the variance. Latitude of the sampling location was also a significant factor, contributing to ∼19% of the variation observed in the samples. Conclusions These observations support the findings that rs1426654 and rs4775730 located in SLC24A5, and rs11070627 and rs12913316 located in MYEF2 and CTXN2 genes respectively, are major contributors toward skin pigmentation and would aid in further unraveling the genotype‐phenotype association in Indian populations. These findings can be utilized in forensic DNA applications for criminal investigations.

  October 06, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23068   open full text
• Positive effects of refugee presence on host community nutritional status in Turkana County, Kenya.
  Rieti G. Gengo, Rahul C. Oka, Varalakshmi Vemuru, Mark Golitko, Lee T. Gettler.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 04, 2017
  Objectives Refugee camps are often assumed to negatively impact local host communities through resource competition and conflict. We ask instead whether economic resources and trade networks associated with refugees have benefits for host community health and nutrition. To address this question we assess the impacts of Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwest Kenya, comparing anthropometric indicators of nutritional status between Turkana communities in the region. Methods Participants were recruited at four sites in Turkana County (N = 586): Kakuma Town, adjacent to Kakuma Refugee Camp; Lorugum, an area with sustained economic development; Lokichoggio, formerly host to international NGOs, and now underdeveloped; and Lorengo, an undeveloped, rural community. We evaluated nutritional status using summed skinfold thickness and body mass index (BMI). Structured interviews provided contextual data. Results Age‐controlled multiple regression models reveal two distinct skinfold thickness profiles for both sexes: comparatively elevated values in Kakuma and Lorugum, and significantly lower values in Lorengo and Lokichoggio. BMI did not vary significantly by location. Despite better nutritional status, a large proportion of Kakuma residents still report worries about basic needs, including hunger, health, and economic security. Conclusions Kakuma Refugee Camp is associated with better host community energetic status indicators, compared to other relevant, regional sites varying in development and resources. Based on global nutritional standards, observed differences likely represent meaningful disparities in overall health. We suggest that access to cereals via refugee trade networks and employment might mediate this relationship. However, perceptions of refugees as illegitimate interlopers maintain a high psychological burden.

  October 04, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23060   open full text
• The association of air pollution with height: Evidence from Hong Kong's “Children of 1997” birth cohort.
  Jian V. Huang, Gabriel M. Leung, C. Mary Schooling.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 30, 2017
  Objectives Within populations, height is positively associated with economic success and in economically developed populations inversely associated with health. Recent studies also suggest air pollution may result in higher bone turnover markers among children, which may affect growth. However, few studies have investigated the effect of air pollution on height or growth rate. We therefore assessed the associations of several air pollutants with height at different ages. Methods We simultaneously assessed associations of particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in utero, in infancy, and in childhood with height at different ages (∼9, ∼11, ∼13, and ∼15 years), in a population‐representative birth cohort “Children of 1997” (n = 8327) from the developed non‐Western setting of Hong Kong with relatively high air pollution and short children, using partial least square regression. Results After considering multiple comparison, higher SO2 in childhood was associated with shorter height at ∼13 years (–0.20 cm, 99% CI −0.32 to −0.06). This difference was not evident at ∼15 years. Conclusions These observations suggest that air pollution may affect the trajectory of growth and development rather than final height, with corresponding implications for health in later life.

  September 30, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23067   open full text
• Mutual compensation of the effects of religious and ethnic homogamy on reproduction.
  Susanne Huber, Martin Fieder.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 27, 2017
  Objectives Homogamy, mating based on similarity, has been demonstrated for a great variety of traits such as age, education, religion, and physical and psychological traits. Recently, pro‐fertile effects of religious as well as educational homogamy have been reported. We investigate whether ethnic homogamy also has a pro‐fertile effect and whether ethnic and religious homogamy interact in their putative effects on reproduction (in terms of average number of offspring). Methods We analyzed the association between ethnic as well as religious homogamy and woman's average number of offspring based on census data from ten countries provided by IPUMS international, encompassing a total of 1,485,433 married women aged 46‐60 years (who have thus completed or almost completed reproduction) and their spouses. Results We find a clear pro‐fertile but nonadditive effect of both ethnic and religious homogamy, which is most pronounced in the case of double homogamy. Our results further indicate that homogamy for one trait may compensate for heterogamy of the other, albeit countries differ regarding which trait compensates for the other. Conclusions We suggest that the interaction between ethnic homogamy, religious homogamy, and reproduction provides an interesting example for gene‐culture co‐evolution.

  September 27, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23064   open full text
• Evaluating minimally invasive sample collection methods for telomere length measurement.
  Elisabeth A. Goldman, Geeta N. Eick, Devan Compton, Paul Kowal, J. Josh Snodgrass, Dan T.A. Eisenberg, Kirstin N. Sterner.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 26, 2017
  Objectives Telomere length (TL) is a biomarker of aging and age‐related decline. Although venous blood is considered the “gold standard” for TL measurement, its collection is often not feasible or desired in nonclinical settings. Saliva and dried blood spots (DBS) have been used as alternatives when venipuncture cannot be performed. However, it is not known whether these sample types yield TL measurements comparable to those obtained from venous blood. We sought to determine whether different samples from the same individual yield comparable TL measurements. Methods We extracted DNA from matched buffy coat, saliva (Oragene and Oasis), and DBS (venous and capillary) samples from 40 women aged 18‐77 years. We used the monochrome multiplex qPCR (MMQPCR) assay to measure TL in all sample types for each participant and applied quality control measures to retain only high‐quality samples for analysis. We then compared TL from buffy coat and saliva to examine how these measurements differ and to test if TL is correlated across sample types. Results TL differed significantly across buffy coat, Oragene saliva, and Oasis saliva samples. TL from buffy coat and Oragene saliva was moderately correlated (ρ = 0.48, P = .002) and the most similar in size. Oasis saliva TL was not correlated with buffy coat or Oragene saliva TL, and was the shortest. DBS DNA yields were inadequate for TL measurement using the MMQPCR assay. Conclusions Using a matched dataset we demonstrate that sample type significantly influences the TL measurement obtained using the MMQPCR assay.

  September 26, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23062   open full text
• Resemblance in physical activity levels: The Portuguese sibling study on growth, fitness, lifestyle, and health.
  S. Pereira, P. T. Katzmarzyk, T. N. Gomes, M. Souza, R. N. Chaves, F. K. Santos, D. Santos, A. Bustamante, T. V. Barreira, D. Hedeker, J. A. Maia.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 19, 2017
  Objectives To investigate the relationships of biological, behavioral, familial, and environmental characteristics with siblings´ physical activity (PA) levels as well as the intrapair resemblance in PA. Methods The sample comprises 834 (390 females) biological siblings [brother‐brother (BB), sister‐sister (SS), brother‐sister (BS)] aged 9 to 20 years. Total PA index (TPAI) was estimated by questionnaire. Information on potential behavioral, familial, and environmental correlates was obtained by self‐report; body mass index (BMI), biological maturation, and physical fitness were measured. Multilevel models were used to analyze siblings´ clustered data, and sibling resemblance was estimated with the intraclass correlation (ρ). Results On average, younger sibs, those more physically fit, and those with more parental support had greater TPAI. Further, BB pairs had higher TPAI levels than SS or BS pairs, but also had greater within‐pair variance. When adjusted for all covariates, SS pairs demonstrated greater resemblance in TPAI (ρ = 0.53, 95%CI = 0.38–0.68) than BS (ρ = 0.26, 95%CI = 0.14–0.43) or BB pairs (ρ = 0.18, 95%CI = 0.06–0.44). Conclusions Age, physical fitness, and parental support were the best predictors of TPAI levels. A moderate level of resemblance in TPAI was observed in SS pairs, while lower resemblance was found for BS and BB pairs. These findings may be due to differences in the roles of shared genetic factors, familial, and environmental characteristics across different sibling types.

  September 19, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23061   open full text
• Child fosterage and sex‐biased nutritional outcomes among Namibian pastoralists.
  Sean P. Prall, Brooke A. Scelza.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 14, 2017
  Objectives Across cultures, fosterage has been shown to impact child health. Contextual factors, such as the reason for fosterage and the relationship between foster parent and child, are known to magnify variance in nutritional outcomes for foster children. Another important, but less studied, factor is the role of gender. Sex‐biases in physiology and cultural norms are both known to affect child nutrition, and we posit these effects might be magnified in the presence of fosterage. In this study, we investigate how sex interacts with fosterage to affect nutritional outcomes among Namibian pastoralists. Methods Anthropometrics for children and adults were collected using standard procedures, and linear models were used to predict the effects of age, sex, and fosterage on height, weight, and body mass index Z‐scores. Semi‐structured interviews with adults provided context for understanding sex specific reasons for fosterage and biases in investment. Results Boys in this population have lower nutritional scores than girls, and fostered boys have lower weight and BMI Z‐scores than nonfostered boys. Fostered girls have lower height Z‐scores and are more likely to be stunted and underweight than nonfostered girls. These effects extend into adulthood, with fostered women being shorter than their nonfostered counterparts. Conclusions Sex plays a role in the nutritional impact of fosterage among Himba children. These differences could be related to differential child labor demands, investment patterns, and the divergent reasons girls and boys are placed into fosterage. Future studies should consider how fosterage can magnify existing biases, like sex, when studying its impact on child health.

  September 14, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23058   open full text
• Longitudinal patterns in BMI and percent total body fat from peak height velocity through emerging adulthood into young adulthood.
  Erin Barbour‐Tuck, Marta Erlandson, Nazeem Muhajarine, Heather Foulds, Adam Baxter‐Jones.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 13, 2017
  Objectives Emerging adulthood, a potential critical period, is an understudied period of fat mass accrual. The aim of this study was to describe patterns of fat mass accrual, and weight status, from adolescence, through emerging adulthood, into young adulthood. Methods One‐hundred‐eighteen participants (59 male) were measured repeatedly for 20 years. Annual measures of height, weight, and body composition (DXA) were taken. Calculated measures included: peak height velocity (PHV), biological age (BA; years from PHV), body mass index (BMI), and percent total body fat (%TBF). Weight status groupings (normal NW, and overweight/obese OWO) were created using age and sex specific BMI and %TBF cut‐offs. Analysis included t‐tests and logistic regression. Results BMI and %TBF increased significantly until 8 years post PHV (P < .05), plateaued for 7 years (P > .05), and then began increasing again (P < .05). At PHV, 9% of males and 14% of females were OWO rising to 65% and 32% respectively 15 years post PHV. OWO status at PHV did not predict OWO status in early adulthood (P > .05). Conclusions During emerging adulthood, the prevalence of OWO increased. Being NW at PHV was not protective against being overweight in young adulthood. Emerging adulthood appears to be a potential critical period for fat accrual and warrants further attention.

  September 13, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23056   open full text
• Child stunting is associated with weaker human capital among native Amazonians.
  Eduardo A. Undurraga, Jere R. Behrman, Susan D. Emmett, Celeste Kidd, William R. Leonard, Steven T. Piantadosi, Victoria Reyes‐García, Abhishek Sharma, Rebecca Zhang, Ricardo A. Godoy.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 13, 2017
  Objectives We assessed associations between child stunting, recovery, and faltering with schooling and human capital skills in a native Amazonian society of horticulturalists‐foragers (Tsimane'). Methods We used cross‐sectional data (2008) from 1262 children aged 6 to 16 years in 53 villages to assess contemporaneous associations between three height categories: stunted (height‐for‐age Z score, HAZ<–2), moderately stunted (–2 ≤ HAZ≤–1), and nonstunted (HAZ>–1), and three categories of human capital: completed grades of schooling, test‐based academic skills (math, reading, writing), and local plant knowledge. We used annual longitudinal data (2002–2010) from all children (n = 853) in 13 villages to estimate the association between changes in height categories between the first and last years of measure and schooling and academic skills. Results Stunting was associated with 0.4 fewer completed grades of schooling (∼24% less) and with 13–15% lower probability of showing any writing or math skills. Moderate stunting was associated with ∼20% lower scores in local plant knowledge and 9% lower probability of showing writing skills, but was not associated with schooling or math and writing skills. Compared with nonstunted children, children who became stunted had 18–21% and 15–21% lower probabilities of showing math and writing skills, and stunted children had 0.4 fewer completed grades of schooling. Stunted children who recovered showed human capital outcomes that were indistinguishable from nonstunted children. Conclusions The results confirm adverse associations between child stunting and human capital skills. Predictors of growth recovery and faltering can affect human capital outcomes, even in a remote, economically self‐sufficient society.

  September 13, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23059   open full text
• Use of iDXA spine scans to evaluate total and visceral abdominal fat.
  J. W. Bea, C‐H Hsu, R. M. Blew, A. P. Irving, B. J. Caan, M. L. Kwan, I. Abraham, S. B. Going.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 08, 2017
  Objectives Abdominal fat may be a better predictor than body mass index (BMI) for risk of metabolically‐related diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. We sought to validate the percent fat reported on dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) regional spine scans (spine fat fraction, SFF) against abdominal fat obtained from total body scans using the iDXA machine (General Electric, Madison, WI), as previously done on the Prodigy model. Methods Total body scans and regional spine scans were completed on the same day (N = 50). In alignment with the Prodigy‐based study, the following regions of interest (ROI) were assessed from total body scans and compared to the SFF from regional spine scans: total abdominal fat at (1) lumbar vertebrae L2‐L4 and (2) L2‐Iliac Crest (L2‐IC); (3) total trunk fat; and (4) visceral fat in the android region. Separate linear regression models were used to predict each total body scan ROI from SFF; models were validated by bootstrapping. Results The sample was 84% female, a mean age of 38.5 ± 17.4 years, and mean BMI of 23.0 ± 3.8 kg/m2. The SFF, adjusted for BMI, predicted L2‐L4 and L2‐IC total abdominal fat (%; Adj. R2: 0.90) and total trunk fat (%; Adj. R2: 0.88) well; visceral fat (%) adjusted R2 was 0.83. Linear regression models adjusted for additional participant characteristics resulted in similar adjusted R2 values. Conclusions This replication of the strong correlation between SFF and abdominal fat measures on the iDXA in a new population confirms the previous Prodigy model findings and improves generalizability.

  September 08, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23057   open full text
• Fifty years of child height and weight in Japan and South Korea: Contrasting secular trend patterns analyzed by SITAR.
  T. J. Cole, H. Mori.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 23, 2017
  Objectives Japanese and South Koreans have traditionally been shorter than Europeans, but have recently become appreciably taller. The aim was to quantify the secular trend patterns in height and weight growth in the two countries over 50 years using the SITAR growth curve model. Methods Data on mean height and weight by sex in 1‐year age groups from 1 to 20 years were obtained by decade in South Korea (1965–2005) and Japan (1950–2010). The data were analyzed using SITAR (SuperImposition by Translation And Rotation), which estimates a mean curve and three adjustments–size, timing and intensity–reflecting how the individual surveys differ from the mean. A sensitivity analysis compared results for the Japanese data based on cohort as well as period. Results Growth patterns in the two countries changed dramatically over the study period, affecting not only height and weight but also developmental age, in that the growth period advanced in timing and shrank in duration. SITAR fitted the data well. The trends were larger in South Korea than Japan, and puberty timing in Japan stabilized by 1970. Most of the height increment seen in adults had already accrued by age 1.5 years, whereas the adult weight increment accrued throughout childhood. Conclusions The secular height trend in these countries represents increased growth in the long bones during infancy, so it can be viewed as the inverse of stunting. There are striking country differences in growth pattern, but they are not easily explained by differences in national income, diet or lifestyle.

  August 23, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23054   open full text
• No change in energy efficiency in lactation: Insights from a longitudinal study.
  Richard L. Bender, Heather S. Williams, Darna L. Dufour.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 17, 2017
  Objectives Lactation is the most energy‐demanding phase of reproduction for human females, but it is still unclear how women in different environments are able to meet this additional energy demand. Previous studies have investigated whether changes in metabolism could have an energy‐sparing effect in lactation, with conflicting results. Here, we asked whether increased energy efficiency in physical activity serves as an energy‐sparing mechanism in lactation. Methods We used a longitudinal design with a control group. Participants were 33 well‐nourished, exclusively breastfeeding women and 29 non‐pregnant, non‐lactating (NPNL) controls aged 32 ± 4 years. Lactating women were measured at peak‐ and post‐lactation. NPNL controls completed a baseline measurement and a follow‐up visit. Energy efficiency in physical activity was assessed using a graded submaximal exercise test and calculated as delta efficiency (change in work accomplished over change in energy expended) and gross efficiency (work accomplished over energy expended). Results There was no significant change in either delta efficiency or gross efficiency from peak to post lactation in lactating women, and no significant difference in delta efficiency between lactating women and NPNL controls at any time period. However, lactating women showed greater between‐visit variation in delta efficiency than the NPNL controls. Additionally, 79% of lactating participants lost weight between visits (mean weight loss −3.6 ± 2.3kg), consistent with a mobilization of body tissues to support lactation. Conclusion We found no support for the idea that lactating women undergo an increase in energy efficiency to support the energy costs of lactation.

  August 17, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23051   open full text
• Genetic‐genealogy approach reveals low rate of extrapair paternity in historical Dutch populations.
  Maarten H. D. Larmuseau, Sofie Claerhout, Leen Gruyters, Kelly Nivelle, Michiel Vandenbosch, Anke Peeters, Pieter van den Berg, Tom Wenseleers, Ronny Decorte.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 25, 2017
  Objective Evolutionary theory has shown that seeking out extrapair paternity (EPP) can be a viable reproductive strategy for both sexes in pair‐bonded species, also in humans. As yet, estimates of the contemporary or historical EPP rate in human population are still rare. In the present study, we estimated the historical EPP rate in the Dutch population over the last 400 years and compared the rate with those obtained for other human populations to determine the evolutionary, cultural, and socio‐demographic factors that influence human cuckoldry behavior. Methods We estimated the historical EPP rate for the Dutch population via the “genealogical pair method”, in which the EPP rate is derived from Y‐chromosome mismatches between pairs of individuals that, based on genealogical evidence, share a common paternal ancestor. Results Based on the analysis of 68 representative genealogical pairs, separated by a total of 1013 fertilization events, we estimated that the historical EPP rate for the Dutch population over the last 400 years was 0.96% per generation (95% confidence interval 0.46%‐1.76%). Conclusion The Dutch EPP rate fits perfectly within the range reported for other contemporary and historical populations in Western Europe and was highly congruent with that estimated for neighboring Flanders, despite the socio‐economic and religious differences between both populations. The estimated low EPP rate challenges the “dual mating strategy hypothesis” that states that women could obtain fitness benefits by securing investment from one man while cuckolding him to obtain good genes from an affair partner.

  July 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23046   open full text
• Household fear of deportation in Mexican‐origin families: Relation to body mass index percentiles and salivary uric acid.
  Airín D. Martínez, Lillian Ruelas, Douglas A. Granger.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 20, 2017
  Objective Fear of deportation (FOD) is a prevalent concern among mixed‐status families. Yet, our understanding of how FOD shapes human health and development is in its infancy. To begin to address this knowledge gap, we examined the relationship between household FOD, body mass index (BMI) percentiles and salivary uric acid (sUA), a biomarker related to oxidative stress/hypertension/metabolic syndrome, among 111 individuals living in Mexican‐origin families. Methods Participants were 65 children (2 months‐17 years, 49% female) and 46 adults (20‐58 years, 71% female) living in 30 Mexican‐origin families with at least one immigrant parent in Phoenix, AZ. We recruited families using cluster probability sampling of 30 randomly selected census tracts with a high proportion of Hispanic/Latino immigrants. The head of household completed a survey containing demographic, FOD, and psychosocial measures. All family members provided saliva (later assayed for sUA) and anthropometric measures. Relationships between household FOD, BMI percentile, and sUA levels were estimated using multilevel models. Results Higher levels of household FOD were associated with lower BMI percentiles and lower sUA levels between families, after controlling for social support and socioeconomic proxies. Conclusion Key features of the social ecology in which mixed‐status families are embedded are associated with individual differences in biological processes linked to increased risk for chronic disease.

  July 20, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23044   open full text
• Economic activity and patterns of infant growth in a high altitude district of Peru.
  Morgan K. Hoke.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 16, 2017
  Objectives Changing economic activities bring significant cultural, epidemiological, and nutritional transitions. Infancy represents a critical period when rapid growth and metabolic programming occur, making infants particularly vulnerable to long‐lasting biological changes due to such transitions. This paper examines the relationship between residence in distinct economic production zones (urban, herding, and dairy) and early growth in a highland district of Peru. Methods The length, weight, body mass index, and triceps skinfold of 93 infants (55 boys and 38 girls, aged 2 to 24 months) from 3 economic zones were measured at two time points 6 months apart. Z‐scores were calculated based on the WHO Growth Reference for children under 5 years of age. Comparisons were made to the reference group and between economic zones to examine the impacts of different economic activities on infant growth. Results Female infants had significantly higher height‐for‐age z‐scores (HAZ) than males (P < 0.05). Across zones, dairying infants had the highest HAZ scores and the lowest prevalence of stunting. There was a significant association between zone and HAZ at baseline. While these associations were attenuated in measurements, taken 6 months later, longitudinal growth monitoring revealed differential patterns of weight gain and adiposity deposition across the zones with herding infants showing consistent high adiposity and urban infants gaining both weight and adiposity between rounds. Discussion Changes in economic activity are bringing about nutritional and epidemiological transitions in the Nuñoa district. Economic activity is a key factor influencing early growth with distinct longitudinal growth patterns in each economic zone.

  July 16, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23038   open full text
• Agreement between specific measures of adiposity and associations with high blood pressure in black South African women.
  Herculina S. Kruger, Chrisna Botha‐Ravyse, Lize Havemann‐Nel, Maretha Doubell, Johannes M. van Rooyen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 12, 2017
  Objectives To derive percentage body fat (%BF) cut‐points according to body mass index (BMI) categories for adult black South African women and to investigate the agreement between adiposity classifications according to WHO BMI and %BF cut‐points. The secondary aim was to determine the association between these different adiposity measures and high blood pressure. Methods Black women aged 29–65 years (n = 435) from Ikageng, South Africa, were included in this cross‐sectional study. Socio‐demographic and anthropometric data were collected (weight, height and BMI). %BF using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry and blood pressure were measured. Results There was significant agreement between three %BF categories: low/normal (<35.8% age 29–49 years; or <38% age 50–65 years), overweight range (35.8–40.7% age 29–49 years; or 38–42.1% age 50–65 years) and obese (≥40.7% age 29–49 years; or ≥42.1% age 50–65 years) and three BMI categories: low/normal (<25 kg/m2), overweight range (25–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥30kg/m2); (κ = 0.62, P < .0001). Despite statistically significant agreement between groups, more than half of overweight individuals were misclassified as having either a normal (30.2%) or obese %BF (25.5%). %BF misclassification was low in the low/normal and obese BMI ranges. After adjustment for confounders, obesity (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2), as well as high %BF were significantly associated with high blood pressure (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.09–2.81 versus OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.15–3.23, respectively). Conclusion Despite significant agreement between BMI and %BF categories, considerable misclassification occurred in the overweight range. Participants with excessive %BF had a greater odds of high blood pressure than those in the highest BMI category.

  July 12, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23042   open full text
• Scaling children's waist circumference for differences in body size.
  Alan M Nevill, Michael J. Duncan, Ian M Lahart, Paul Davies, Robinson Ramirez‐Velez, Gavin Sandercock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 12, 2017
  Objectives Both waist circumference (WC) and body size (height) increase with age throughout childhood. Hence, there is a need to scale WC in children to detect differences in adiposity status (eg, between populations and different age groups), independent of body size/height. Methods Using two culturally different samples, 1 English (10–15.9 years n = 9471) and 2 Colombian (14–15 years, n = 37,948), for WC to be independent of height (HT), a body shape index was obtained using the allometric power law WC = a.HTb. The model was linearized using log‐transformation, and multiple regression/ANCOVA to estimate the height exponents for WC controlling for age, sex, and any other categorical/population differences. Results In both samples, the power‐law height exponent varied systematically with age. In younger children (age 10–11 years), the exponent was approximately unity, suggesting that pre‐pubertal children might be geometrically similar. In older children, the height exponent declined monotonically to 0.5 (ie, HT0.5) in 15+ year‐olds, similar to the exponent observed in adults. UK children's height‐adjusted WC revealed a “u” shaped curve with age that appeared to reach a minimum at peak‐height velocity, different for boys and girls. Comparing the WC of two populations (UK versus Colombian 14–15‐year‐old children) identified that the gap in WC between the countries narrowed considerably after scaling for height. Conclusions Scaling children's WC for differences in height using allometric modeling reveals new insights into the growth and development of children's WC, findings that might well have been be overlooked if body size/height had been ignored.

  July 12, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23037   open full text
• Food insecurity partially mediates associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults in india: Results from the study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE).
  Joshua M. Schrock, Heather H. McClure, J. Josh Snodgrass, Melissa A. Liebert, Karen E. Charlton, Perianayagam Arokiasamy, Nirmala Naidoo, Paul Kowal.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 05, 2017
  Objective Our objective was to test whether food insecurity mediates cross‐sectional associations between social disadvantage and body composition among older adults (aged 50+) in India (n = 6556). Methods Adjusting for key sociodemographic and dietary variables, we examined whether markers of social disadvantage (lower educational attainment, lower household wealth, belonging to a disadvantaged caste/tribe, and belonging to a minority religion) were associated with food insecurity. We then examined whether food insecurity, in turn, was associated with anthropometric measures of body composition, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC). We also tested whether food insecurity mediated the relationship between social disadvantage and body composition. Results In adjusted models, lower household wealth [lowest quintile (Q5) vs highest quintile (Q1): odds ratio (OR) = 13.57, P < .001], having less than a high‐school education (OR = 2.12. P < .005), being Muslim (OR = 1.82, P < .001), and being in a scheduled caste (historically marginalized) (OR = 1.49, P < .005) were associated with greater food insecurity. Those who were severely food insecure had greater odds of being underweight (OR = 1.36, P < .01) and lower odds of high WC (OR = 0.70, P < .01). Mediation analyses estimated that food insecurity explained 4.7%–29.7% of the relationship between social disadvantage and body composition, depending on the variables considered. Conclusions Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that food insecurity is a mechanism linking social disadvantage and body composition among older adults in India. These analyses contribute to a better understanding of processes leading to variation in body composition, which may help enhance the design of interventions aimed at improving population nutritional status.

  July 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23033   open full text
• Linear and nonlinear relationships between body mass index and physical fitness in Brazilian children and adolescents.
  Vítor P. Lopes, Marco Cossio‐Bolaños, Rossana Gómez‐Campos3, Miguel de Arruda, Jefferson Eduardo Hespanhol, Luis P. Rodrigues.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 05, 2017
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate the linear and curvilinear relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness in children and adolescents. Methods Participants were 4567 (2505 girls) children aged 6–16 years. Weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated and adjusted for age and sex using WHO z‐scores. Physical fitness was evaluated with the following tests: Yo‐Yo test, standing long jump, seated 2‐kg medicine ball throw, and 20‐m dash. Participants were grouped into two groups according to their maturity status, estimated as years from peak height velocity. Associations were determined with linear and nonlinear quadratic regression models. Results The nonlinear quadratic regression coefficient was significant for the 20‐m dash among girls of both maturity status levels, and in maturity status level 1 boys; for the standing long jump among boys of both maturity status levels, and in maturity status level 1 girls. The Yo‐Yo test was only significant for maturity status level 1 boys. For the medicine ball throw, the linear regression coefficient was significant for both maturity status levels in both sexes. Almost all physical fitness items were observed to have meaningfully large nonlinear relationships with BMIz, but they were not all significant due to the small sample size, especially in maturity status level 2. Conclusion The association between BMI and physical fitness is nonlinear in the majority of its components, and those with lower and higher BMI had poorer fitness.

  July 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23035   open full text
• Analysis of admixture proportions in seven geographical regions of the state of Guerrero, Mexico.
  José Ángel Cahua‐Pablo, Miguel Cruz, Pedro Vidal Tello‐Almaguer, Luz Carmen del Alarcón‐Romero, Esteban Juan Parra, Salvador Villerías‐Salinas, Adán Valladares‐Salgado, Vianet Argelia Tello‐Flores, Abigail Méndez‐Palacios, Claudia Paola Pérez‐Macedonio, Eugenia Flores‐Alfaro.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 04, 2017
  Objective Mexico's current population structure has been defined by admixture between European, Native American, and to some extent African, groups that started in the sixteenth century. The aim of this research was to analyze the relative contributions of these continental population groups to the seven regions of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Methods A total of 104 ancestry informative markers were analyzed in 480 unrelated women from the seven regions of the state of Guerrero. The individual ancestry proportions were estimated using the software ADMIXMAP v3.2. Results The relative Native American, European and African ancestral contributions to the whole sample were estimated to be 69%, 27%, and 1.9%, respectively. We observed significant differences in admixture proportions across the regions. The highest average Native American ancestry was found in the Montaña region and the lowest in Costa Grande. Conversely, the highest European contribution was observed in Costa Grande. The highest African contributions were observed in the regions of Costa Chica and Costa Grande. Conclusions The genetic structure of the population of Guerrero reflects quite well the historical processes that have occurred in this state. Native American population settlements were mainly in the regions of Montaña, Norte, and Centro, where the highest indigenous genetic contribution is observed today. European settlers came from the center of the state to regions with significant agricultural and mining activities. The highest African contributions are observed in coastal regions, in agreement with historical evidence about slave trade routes in the Americas.

  July 04, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23032   open full text
• Abdominal obesity in adolescents: Development of age‐specific waist circumference cut‐offs linked to adult IDF criteria.
  Jorge Bravo, Armando M. Raimundo, Diana A. Santos, Rafael Timón, Luís B. Sardinha.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 01, 2017
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to develop age‐ and sex‐specific waist circumference (WC) cut‐off points, linked to older adolescent and adult criteria for abdominal obesity, to be applied to children in the clinical setting. Methods A total of 16,788 adolescents aged 10 to 16 years were assessed for WC. Smoothed age and sex‐specific WC curves were obtained using Cole's LMS method. Results Percentiles that corresponded to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) recommendations used for older adolescents and adults (16+ years old) were the 97th percentile for boys and the 87th percentile for girls. Using these cutoffs, a total of 368 boys and 1138 girls were categorized as abdominally obese, in contrast to 1654 boys and 987 girls that were identified using the current IDF pediatric criteria (90th percentile). Conclusions We provide age‐ and sex‐specific cut‐off points that can be used to identify abdominal obesity in adolescents. The present findings provide a tool that can be used in the clinical setting for the early detection and prevention of adult obesity. Population‐specific cutoffs may be required for pediatric ages to diagnose children at risk.

  July 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23036   open full text
• A matter of perception: Perceived socio‐economic status and cortisol on the island of Utila, Honduras.
  Angela R. García, Michael Gurven, Aaron D. Blackwell.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 01, 2017
  Objectives Numerous studies link low objective and subjective socioeconomic status (SES) to chronic activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Here, we examine associations between objective and subjective SES and diurnal salivary cortisol, a primary HPA component, as well as demographic and ecological predictors associated with SES perceptions and changes in diurnal cortisol. METHODS Participants were residents (age 18–79, n = 61) of Utila, a Honduran island where economic disparities are overt and geographically contained. Objective SES was measured as a composite of income, education, and occupation. Subjective SES was measured with a MacArthur ladder and a perceived lifestyle discrepancy (PLD) scale. Salivary cortisol was collected three times per day for two days. Questions addressing demographic, social, and household characteristics were assessed as predictors of PLD. RESULTS Assessed independently, objective SES (P = .06) and PLD (P = .003) were associated with the steepness of diurnal cortisol changes, while PLD was also associated with higher cortisol area under the curve (AUC) (P = .036). Modeled together, only PLD predicted diurnal slope and AUC. PLD was associated with household sanitation, immigration status, food scarcity, objective SES, and owing money. Only access to sanitation and owing money had direct associations with cortisol that were not mediated by PLD. CONCLUSIONS For adults on Utila, perceptions of unmet need outweigh other social and economic status factors in predicting cortisol AUC and slope. In addition, the unmediated effects of access to sanitation and owing money on cortisol suggest that these distinct aspects of inequality are important to consider when seeking to understand how inequality can impact HPA function.

  July 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23031   open full text
• Evaluation of baseline frequency of sister chromatid exchanges in an italian population according to age, sex, smoking habits, and gene polymorphisms.
  Alfredo Santovito, Claudio Gendusa, Piero Cervella.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 30, 2017
  Objectives Increased SCEs frequencies in human lymphocytes are an indicator of spontaneous chromosome instability and could be influenced by different exogenous and endogenous factors. In this study, we evaluated the influence of age, sex, smoking habits, and genetic polymorphisms on the background levels of SCEs in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Methods Two hundred‐thirty healthy Italian subjects were recruited. Data about age, sex and smoking habits were recorded. Subjects were also genotyped for GSTT1, GSTM1, GSTP1 A/G, CYP1A1 Ile/Val, CYP2C19 G/A, ERCC2/XPD Lys751Gln, XRCC1 Arg194ATrp, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, and XRCC1Arg208His gene polymorphisms. Results The frequency of SCEs/cell was 5.15 ± 1.87, with females showing a significantly higher SCEs value with respect to males (5.36 ± 2.10 and 4.82 ± 1.39, respectively). Smokers showed significantly increased levels of SCEs with respect to nonsmokers (5.93 ± 1.75 and 4.70 ± 1.79, respectively) whereas no differences were observed between heavy and light smokers. Age correlated with the RI value (P = .01) but not with the SCEs frequency (P = 07), although the 31‐40 age group showed a significantly lower SCEs frequency with respect to the other age groups. A significant association was also found between GSTP2C19‐AA, GSTT1‐null, GSTM1‐null, ERCC2/XPD Gln751Gln, and XRCC1 His208His genotypes, and higher frequencies of SCEs. Conclusion We describe the association between some phase I, phase II, and DNA‐repair gene polymorphisms with increased SCEs frequencies, reinforcing the importance of genetic analysis in biomonitoring studies. Sex and age were found to be important endogenous factors that affect the level of genomic damage and the replicative capacity of cells, respectively.

  June 30, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23034   open full text
• Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup variation of contemporary mixed South Americans reveals prehistoric displacements linked to archaeologically‐derived culture history.
  Francisco Rothhammer, Lars Fehren‐Schmitz, Giannina Puddu, José Capriles.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 27, 2017
  Objective The purpose of this study was to examine South American population structure and prehistoric population displacements prior to the Spanish conquest, utilizing mitochondrial DNA haplogroups of extant mixed populations from Mexico, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Method Relative frequencies of four pan‐American haplogroups, obtained from published databases, were analyzed to evaluate patterns of variations, population structure and possible prehistoric migration pathways. Results Patterns of mtDNA variation verify biogeographic drift processes and possible migratory pathways. Conclusions We propose an updated model of South American colonization that is fully compatible with previous studies based on autosomal, mtDNA, and Y chromosome variation and with archaeologically‐derived culture history.

  June 27, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23029   open full text
• Adrenal maturation, nutritional status, and mucosal immunity in Bolivian youth.
  Carolyn R. Hodges‐Simeon, Sean P. Prall, Aaron D. Blackwell, Michael Gurven, Steven J.C. Gaulin.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 27, 2017
  Objectives Humans—and several other apes—exhibit a unique pattern of post‐natal adrenal maturation; however, the causes and consequences of variation in adrenal development are not well understood. In this study, we examine developmental and age‐related maturation of the adrenal gland (measured via dehydroepiandrosterone‐sulfate [DHEA‐S]) for potential life‐history associations with growth and mucosal immunity in a rural population of immune‐challenged Bolivian juveniles and adolescents. METHODS Salivary DHEA‐S, anthropometrics, and salivary mucosal immunity (secretory IgA [sIgA]) were measured in 171 males and females, aged 8‐23. RESULTS Males with greater energy (i.e. fat) stores showed higher DHEA‐S levels. Controlling for age and energetic condition (to control for phenotypic correlation), higher DHEA‐S was associated with higher mucosal immunity (sIgA) among both males and females. Higher DHEA‐S levels were positively associated with growth (i.e. height and strength) in males. CONCLUSIONS In accordance with predictions derived from life‐history theory, males with higher energy stores secrete more adrenal androgens. This suggests that adrenal maturation is costly and subject to constraints; that is, only males with sufficient reserves will invest in accelerated adrenal maturation. Further, DHEA‐S appears to have a measureable influence on immunocompetence in adolescent males and females; therefore, deficits in DHEA‐S may have important consequences for health and maturation during this period. Adrenal maturation is an important, but understudied component of human growth and development.

  June 27, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23025   open full text
• Predictive validity of body fat percentage by bioimpedance compared with deuterium oxide dilution in Costa Rican schoolchildren.
  Juan Diego Zamora Salas, Adriana Laclé‐Murray.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 19, 2017
  Objective The purpose of this study was to verify the validity of body fat percentage (BF%) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in a sample of Costa Rican schoolchildren. METHODS The sample consisted of 52 male (mean age 8.1 ± 0.9 years) and 49 female (mean age 7.5 ± 1.0 years) schoolchildren. Deuterium oxide dilution was the reference method used as the “gold standard” to determine the fat mass (FM) expressed as BF%. Linear regression analyses and paired sample t‐tests were used to test the association and mean differences between BIA and deuterium oxide dilution BF%. Concordance between BIA and deuterium oxide dilution BF% was determined by Lin's concordance correlation coefficient. Measurement of agreement between the two methods was analyzed using the Bland‐Altman procedure. RESULTS Significant associations between BIA and deuterium oxide dilution BF% were found in males (R = 0.97, R2 = 0.95, P < .0001) and in females (R = 0.98, R2 = .96, P < .0001). The measurements of BF% (mean ± SD) were not significantly different between males (BIA 31.1 ± 7.6% vs. deuterium oxide dilution 31.0 ± 7.4%) and females (BIA 25.9 ± 7.9% vs. deuterium oxide dilution 26.3 ± 7.8%) by t‐test. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient identified an almost perfect strength of agreement between males and females. Bland‐Altman plots showed that the Bodystat measured similar BF% compared to the deuterium oxide dilution in both males and females. CONCLUSIONS BIA Bodystat presented high agreement with BF% measured by deuterium oxide dilution; therefore BIA Bodystat is recommended for estimating BF% in Costa Rican schoolchildren.

  June 19, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23028   open full text
• Waist‐to‐height ratio and its association with TV viewing in a sample of Portuguese children aged 7–9 years.
  Aristides M. Machado‐Rodrigues, João Valente‐dos‐Santos, Romulo Fernandes, Augusta Gama, Isabel Mourao, Helena Nogueira, Vitor Marques, Cristina Padez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 13, 2017
  INTRODUCTION During the past decades, increased TV viewing and reduced physical activity (PA) levels may have contributed to the increased prevalence of pediatric obesity. This study aimed to analyze the association between TV viewing and central adiposity risk in Portuguese children. METHODS The sample comprised 3987 children (1997 girls and 1990 boys) aged 7–9 years. Height, weight, and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR) was calculated as the ratio of waist/height with a cut‐off of 0.5 used to define risk of abdominal obesity. WHtR does not depend on sex‐ or age‐specific reference criteria. TV viewing and PA were assessed by questionnaire. Logistic regressions were used, with adjustments for age, PA, and parental education. RESULTS This study revealed a positive significant association between central adiposity risk and sedentary behaviors in Portuguese boys. In addition, the final model showed an important inverse association between PA and the risk of abdominal obesity in both boys and girls (males: β = −0.01 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.00; females: β = −0.01; 95% CI, 0.99‐1.00). CONCLUSION Findings revealed that associations between TV viewing and obesity risk could be highly influenced by socioeconomic factors. Future research should extend a similar design to children in other geographic contexts, and incorporate other behavioral variables in the statistical models, to confirm or not some of the aforementioned findings.

  June 13, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23024   open full text
• Maternal‐infant interaction as an influence on infant adiposity.
  Elizabeth A. Holdsworth, Lawrence M. Schell.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 11, 2017
  Objectives The aim of this research is to identify whether specific aspects of the early life psychosocial environment such as quality of home and maternal‐infant interaction are associated with increased infant adiposity, in a disadvantaged population in the United States. METHODS Data on 121 mother‐infant pairs from the Albany Pregnancy and Infancy Lead Study were analyzed using three multiple linear regression models with subscapular skinfold thickness (SST), triceps skinfold thickness (TST), and weight z‐scores at 12 months of age as outcome variables. Maternal‐infant interaction was indexed by the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scales (NCATS) and home environment quality was indexed by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). RESULTS In models including infant birth weight, cigarette use in second trimester, infant caloric intake at 9–12 months, size at birth for gestational age, infant sex, and mother's prepregnancy BMI, specific subscales of NCATs predicted infant adiposity z‐scores. Poorer mother's response to infant distress was associated with greater SST ( β = −0.20, P = .02), TST ( β = −0.19, P = .04), and weight ( β = −0.14, P = .05). Better maternal sensitivity to infant cues was associated with larger SST ( β = 0.25, P < .01), while mother's poorer social‐emotional growth fostering predicted greater SST ( β = −0.23, P < .01) and weight ( β = −0.16, P = .03). Better scores on HOME Organization of the Environment were associated with greater SST ( β = 0.34, P = .02) and TST ( β = 0.33, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS Emotionally relevant aspects of the maternal‐infant interaction predicted infant adiposity, though in different directions. This indicates that the psychosocial environment, through maternal behavior, may influence infant adiposity. However, the general home environment was not consistently related to infant adiposity.

  June 11, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23023   open full text
• Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen as markers of dietary variation among sociocultural subgroups of Inuit in Greenland.
  Peter Bjerregaard, Christina V. L. Larsen, Inger K. Dahl‐Petersen, Bjørn Buchardt.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 01, 2017
  Objectives We assessed the use of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen as biomarkers for traditional versus store‐bought food among the Inuit. Furthermore, we compared the isotope patterns among sociocultural population groups. METHODS As a part of a country‐wide health survey in Greenland during 2005–2010, we analyzed the isotope composition of toenails from 1025 adult Inuit and meat of common species hunted for food. Information on diet and sociocultural variables was collected by interviews. RESULTS Weighted by sex and place of residence to the total population of Inuit in Greenland, the average δ13C value in toenails was −20.2‰ and the δ15N value was 12.0‰ which are higher than in a general Danish omnivorous population. Both isotopes were significantly associated with other biomarkers of marine food and with results of a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The percentage of marine food in the diet was estimated at 21% from the mean δ13C value, 25% from the mean δ15N value, and 23% from the FFQ. CONCLUSION Nail samples for analysis of stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen were convenient to collect during a large population health survey among the Inuit. Isotope enrichment levels showed statistically significant associations with other biomarkers for consumption of marine food and with results of an FFQ and were used to estimate the percentage of marine food in the diet. Isotope levels were significantly associated with a novel score of sociocultural transition.

  June 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23018   open full text
• Feminization of the fat distribution pattern of children and adolescents in a recent German population.
  Christiane Scheffler, Melanie Dammhahn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 10, 2017
  Objectives During the early 1990s, the economic and political situation in eastern Germany changed overnight. Here, we use the rare chance of an experiment‐like setting in humans and aim to test whether the rapid change of environmental conditions in eastern Germany in the 1990s led to a change in the sex‐specific fat distribution pattern, an endocrine‐influenced phenotypic marker. METHODS Based on a cross‐sectional data set of 6‐ to 18‐year‐old girls and boys measured between 1982–1991 and 1997–2012, we calculated a skinfold ratio of triceps to subscapular and percentage of body fat. Using linear regressions, we tested for differences in percentage of body fat and skinfold ratio between these two time periods. RESULTS We found that the percentage of body fat increased in boys and girls, and they accumulated relatively more fat on extremities than on the trunk in all BMI groups measured after 1997 as compared to those measured between 1982 and 1991. CONCLUSIONS Concurrent with drastic and rapid changes of environmental conditions, the body fat distribution of children and adolescents changed to a more feminized pattern during the early 1990s in an East German population. The changes in this endocrinologically mediated pattern might be associated with the increased exposure of individuals to endocrine‐disrupting chemicals which are known to influence the endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems in animals and humans.

  May 10, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23017   open full text
• An assessment of postcranial indices, ratios, and body mass versus eco‐geographical variables of prehistoric Jomon, Yayoi agriculturalists, and Kumejima Islanders of Japan.
  Noriko Seguchi, Conrad B. Quintyn, Shiori Yonemoto, Hirofumi Takamuku.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 10, 2017
  Objectives We explore variations in body and limb proportions of the Jomon hunter‐gatherers (14,000–2500 BP), the Yayoi agriculturalists (2500–1700 BP) of Japan, and the Kumejima Islanders of the Ryukyus (1600–1800 AD) with 11 geographically diverse skeletal postcranial samples from Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America using brachial‐crural indices, femur head‐breadth‐to‐femur length ratio, femur head‐breadth‐to‐lower‐limb‐length ratio, and body mass as indicators of phenotypic climatic adaptation. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that variation in limb proportions seen in Jomon, Yayoi, and Kumejima is a complex interaction of genetic adaptation; development and allometric constraints; selection, gene flow and genetic drift with changing cultural factors (i.e., nutrition) and climate. METHODS The skeletal data (1127 individuals) were subjected to principle components analysis, Manly's permutation multiple regression tests, and Relethford‐Blangero analysis. RESULTS The results of Manly's tests indicate that body proportions and body mass are significantly correlated with latitude, and minimum and maximum temperatures while limb proportions were not significantly correlated with these climatic variables. Principal components plots separated “climatic zones:” tropical, temperate, and arctic populations. The indigenous Jomon showed cold‐adapted body proportions and warm‐adapted limb proportions. Kumejima showed cold‐adapted body proportions and limbs. The Yayoi adhered to the Allen‐Bergmann expectation of cold‐adapted body and limb proportions. Relethford‐Blangero analysis showed that Kumejima experienced gene flow indicated by high observed variances while Jomon experienced genetic drift indicated by low observed variances. CONCLUSIONS The complex interaction of evolutionary forces and development/nutritional constraints are implicated in the mismatch of limb and body proportions.

  May 10, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23015   open full text
• Association between T102C 5‐HT2A receptor gene polymorphism and 5‐year mortality risk among Brazilian Amazon riparian elderly population.
  Tális O. Silva, Ivo Jung, Alexis Trott, Cláudia G. Bica, Jeferson N. Casarin, Paola C. Fortuna, Euler E. Ribeiro, Fernanda D. de Assis, Guilherme C. Figueira, Fernanda Barbisan, Maria Fernanda Manica‐Cattani, Beatriz S. R. Bonadiman, Lucien J. Houenou, Pedro Antônio S. do Prado‐Lima, Ivana B. M. da Cruz.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 10, 2017
  Objective Serotonin (5‐HT) is a pleiotropic molecule that exerts several functions on brain and peripheral tissues via different receptors. The gene for the 5‐HT2A receptor shows some variations, including a T102C polymorphism, that have been associated with increased risk of neuropsychiatric and vascular disorders. However, the potential impact of 5‐HT2A imbalance caused by genetic variations on the human lifespan has not yet been established. METHODS We performed a prospective study involving an Amazon riparian elderly free‐living population in Maués City, Brazil, with a 5‐year follow‐up. Out of a cohort of 637 subjects selected in July, 2009, we genotyped 471 individuals, including 209 males (44.4%) and 262 females (55.6%), all averaging 72.3 ± 7.8 years of age (ranging from 60 to 100 years). RESULTS The T102C‐SNP genotypic frequencies were 14.0% TT, 28.0% CC, and 58.0% CT. From 80 elderly individuals who died during the period investigated, we observed significantly (P = .005) higher numbers of TT carriers (27.3%) and CC carriers (21.2%), compared to heterozygous CT carriers (12.5%). Cox‐regression analysis showed that association between the T102C‐SNP and elderly survival was independent of age, sex, and other health variables. CONCLUSIONS Our findings strongly suggest that imbalance in 5‐HT2A may cause significant disturbances that lead to an increased susceptibility to death for individuals who are over 60 years of age.

  May 10, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23016   open full text
• Body fat attenuates muscle mass catabolism among physically active humans in temperate and cold high altitude environments.
  Cara J. Ocobock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 03, 2017
  Objective Typical diet plans are based on an individual's body mass; however, body composition may be important to consider when an individual is in a negative energy balance. This study examines if high initial body fat and dietary macronutrient content reduce muscle mass catabolism during excursions in temperate and cold high altitude environments. METHODS Subjects—53 healthy, un‐acclimated volunteers (37 males and 16 females)—took part in 12‐16 week‐long outdoor education courses in moderately high altitude temperate and cold climates in the western United States. Body mass, body fat percentage, fat mass, and muscle mass were measured before and after each excursion. Total energy expenditure and dietary intake were also measured. RESULTS In temperate and cold environments, both sexes lost significant amounts of body mass. In temperate climates both sexes lost a significant amount of fat mass, but not muscle mass. In cold climates, there was no significant change in fat mass for either sex; however, females gained muscle mass while males lost muscle mass. In both climates subjects with lower initial body fat percentages lost significantly more muscle mass than subjects with higher initial body fat percentages. There was no significant relationship between macronutrient intake and muscle mass loss for either sex. CONCLUSION These results suggests that during a negative energy balance dietary macronutrient content cannot abate the loss of muscle mass, but body fat may have a protective effect. This information should be used to improve individualized diets based on body composition, not body mass.

  May 03, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23013   open full text
• Body frame size in school children is related to the amount of adipose tissue in different depots but not to adipose distribution.
  Francisco J. Guzmán‐de la Garza, Alejandra E. González Ayala, Marisol Gómez Nava, Leislie I. Martínez Monsiváis, Ana M. Salinas Martínez, Erik Ramírez López, Alvaro Mathiew Quirós, Francisco Garcia Quintanilla.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 28, 2017
  Objectives The main aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that body frame size is related to the amount of fat in different adipose tissue depots and to fat distribution in schoolchildren. METHODS Children aged between 5 and 10 years were included in this cross‐sectional study (n = 565). Body frame size, adiposity markers (anthropometric, skinfolds thickness, and ultrasound measures), and fat distribution indices were analyzed. Correlation coefficients adjusted by reliability were estimated and analyzed by sex; the significance of the difference between two correlation coefficients was assessed using the Fisher z‐transformation. RESULTS The sample included primarily urban children; 58.6% were normal weight, 16.1% overweight, 19.6% obese, and the rest were underweight. Markers of subcutaneous adiposity, fat mass and fat‐free mass, and preperitoneal adiposity showed higher and significant correlations with the sum of the biacromial + bitrochanteric diameter than with the elbow diameter, regardless of sex. The fat distribution conicity index presented significant but weak correlations; and visceral adipose tissue, hepatic steatosis, and the waist‐for‐hip ratio were not significantly correlated with body frame size measures. CONCLUSIONS Body frame size in school children was related to the amount of adipose tissue in different depots, but not adipose distribution. More studies are needed to confirm this relationship and its importance to predict changes in visceral fat deposition during growth.

  April 28, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23014   open full text
• Identifying signatures of positive selection in pigmentation genes in two South Asian populations.
  Manjari Jonnalagadda, Neeraj Bharti, Yatish Patil, Shantanu Ozarkar, Sunitha Manjari K, Rajendra Joshi, Heather Norton.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 24, 2017
  Objectives Skin pigmentation is a polygenic trait showing wide phenotypic variations among global populations. While numerous pigmentation genes have been identified to be under positive selection among European and East populations, genes contributing to phenotypic variation in skin pigmentation within and among South Asian populations are still poorly understood. The present study uses data from the Phase 3 of the 1000 genomes project focusing on two South Asian populations—GIH (Gujarati Indian from Houston, Texas) and ITU (Indian Telugu from UK), so as to decode the genetic architecture involved in adaptation to ultraviolet radiation in South Asian populations. METHODS Statistical tests included were (1) tests to identify deviations of the Site Frequency Spectrum (SFS) from neutral expectations (Tajima's D, Fay and Wu's H and Fu and Li's D* and F*), (2) tests focused on the identification of high‐frequency haplotypes with extended linkage disequilibrium (iHS and Rsb), and (3) tests based on genetic differentiation between populations (LSBL). RESULTS Twenty‐two pigmentation genes fall in the top 1% for at least one statistic in the GIH population, 5 of which (LYST, OCA2, SLC24A5, SLC45A2, and TYR) have been previously associated with normal variation in skin, hair, or eye color. In comparison, 17 genes fall in the top 1% for at least one statistic in the ITU population. Twelve loci which are identified as outliers in the ITU scan were also identified in the GIH population. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that selection may have affected these loci broadly across the region.

  April 24, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23012   open full text
• VDR gene methylation as a molecular adaption to light exposure: Historic, recent and genetic influences.
  Emma L Beckett, Patrice Jones, Martin Veysey, Konsta Duesing, Charlotte Martin, John Furst, Zoe Yates, Nina G. Jablonski, George Chaplin, Mark Lucock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 22, 2017
  Objectives The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is a member of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors. We examined whether degree of VDR gene methylation acts as a molecular adaptation to light exposure. We explored this in the context of photoperiod at conception, recent UV irradiance at 305 nm, and gene‐latitude effects. METHODS Eighty subjects were examined for VDR gene‐CpG island methylation density. VDR gene variants were also examined by PCR‐RFLP. RESULTS Photoperiod at conception was significantly positively related to VDR methylation density, explaining 17% of the variance in methylation (r2 = 0.17; P = .001). Within this model, photoperiod at conception and plasma 25(OH)D independently predicted methylation density at the VDR‐CpG island. Recent UV exposure at 305 nm led to a fivefold increase in mean methylation density (P = .02). Again, UV exposure and plasma 25(OH)D independently predicted methylation density at the VDR‐CpG island. In the presence of the BsmI mutant allele, methylation density was increased (P = .01), and in the presence of the TaqI or FokI mutant allele, methylation density was decreased (P = .007 and .04 respectively). Multivariate modelling suggests plasma 25(OH)D, photoperiod at conception, recent solar irradiance, and VDR genotype combine as independent predictors of methylation at the VDR‐CpG island, explaining 34% of the variance in methylation (R2 = 0.34, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Duration of early‐life light exposure and strength of recent irradiance, along with latitudinal genetic factors, influence degree of VDR gene methylation consistent with this epigenetic phenomenon being a molecular adaptation to variation in ambient light exposure. Findings contribute to our understanding of human biology.

  April 22, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23010   open full text
• Maternal metabolic adaptations to pregnancy among young women in Cebu, Philippines.
  Ruby L. Fried, Nanette L. Mayol, Thom W. McDade, Christopher W. Kuzawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 21, 2017
  Objectives Evidence that fetal development has long‐term impacts on health has increased interest in maternal‐fetal nutrient exchange. Although maternal metabolism is known to change during gestation to accommodate fetal nutrient demands, little is known about these modifications outside of a Western, clinical context. This study characterizes maternal metabolic adaptations to pregnancy, and their associations with offspring birth weight (BW), among women living in the Philippines. METHODS Fasting glucose, triglycerides, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were assessed in 808 participants in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (Metropolitan Cebu, Philippines). Cross‐sectional relationships between metabolites and hormones and gestational and lactational status were evaluated. Among the subset of currently pregnant women, associations between maternal glucose and triglycerides and offspring BW were also examined. RESULTS Women in their second and third trimesters had significantly lower fasting glucose and adiponectin compared to nulliparous women, and leptin levels and triglyceride levels were notably higher late in pregnancy (all P < .05). Among pregnant women, fasting glucose was a positive predictor of offspring BW, but only in males (P = .012, R2 = .28). Hormones and metabolites in post‐partum women trend back toward levels found in nulliparous women, with some differences by breastfeeding status. CONCLUSIONS We find evidence for marked changes in maternal lipid and carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy, consistent with known adaptations to support fetal growth. The finding of sex‐specific relationships between maternal glucose and offspring BW adds to evidence for greater impacts of the maternal‐gestational environment on biology and health in male offspring.

  April 21, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23011   open full text
• Conditional random slope: A new approach for estimating individual child growth velocity in epidemiological research.
  Michael Leung, Diego G. Bassani, Amy Racine‐Poon, Anna Goldenberg, Syed Asad Ali, Gagandeep Kang, Prasanna S. Premkumar, Daniel E. Roth.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 21, 2017
  Objectives Conditioning child growth measures on baseline accounts for regression to the mean (RTM). Here, we present the “conditional random slope” (CRS) model, based on a linear‐mixed effects model that incorporates a baseline‐time interaction term that can accommodate multiple data points for a child while also directly accounting for RTM. METHODS In two birth cohorts, we applied five approaches to estimate child growth velocities from 0 to 12 months to assess the effect of increasing data density (number of measures per child) on the magnitude of RTM of unconditional estimates, and the correlation and concordance between the CRS and four alternative metrics. Further, we demonstrated the differential effect of the choice of velocity metric on the magnitude of the association between infant growth and stunting at 2 years. RESULTS RTM was minimally attenuated by increasing data density for unconditional growth modeling approaches. CRS and classical conditional models gave nearly identical estimates with two measures per child. Compared to the CRS estimates, unconditional metrics had moderate correlation (r = 0.65–0.91), but poor agreement in the classification of infants with relatively slow growth (kappa = 0.38–0.78). Estimates of the velocity‐stunting association were the same for CRS and classical conditional models but differed substantially between conditional versus unconditional metrics. CONCLUSION The CRS can leverage the flexibility of linear mixed models while addressing RTM in longitudinal analyses.

  April 21, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23009   open full text
• Bioarchaeological profile of stress and dental disease among ancient high altitude Himalayan communities of Nepal.
  Jacqueline T. Eng, Mark Aldenderfer.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 13, 2017
  Objectives This study examines biological indicators of dental disease and nonspecific stress in human remains of three high altitude Himalayan archaeological sites to test whether shared ecological constraints led to similar bioarchaeological profiles in these markers. Methods Samples (n = 170) derive from three sites in Nepal dating to two periods (400–50 BCE and c. 400–650 CE). Dental diseases (caries, antemortem tooth loss, and abscesses) were assessed by both the number of individuals and the number of elements observed, while childhood stress markers included observation of growth disruptions (enamel hypoplasia and adult femur length/stature) and cranial porosities. Statistical analysis included chi‐square and Fisher's exact tests for categorical data and ANOVA and t‐tests for metric data. Results There are significant differences between the sites and sexes in frequencies of dental diseases in the adult samples. There are low frequencies of childhood stress markers overall and the femur length data show no significant differences across sites, but significant sexual dimorphism within each site. Females have reduced stature compared to contemporary Tibetan samples residing at a similar elevation. Conclusions Variations in dental disease frequencies between the sites may be due to local variations in microenvironment, cultural, and/or temporal differences in resource availability, food consumption and preparation, as well as the age structure of the samples. The low frequencies of markers for nonspecific stress may be indicative of the ability of these ancient Himalayan groups to successfully meet the challenges posed by the extreme conditions of high altitude living through biocultural adaptations.

  April 13, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22998   open full text
• Lower face asymmetry as a marker for developmental instability.
  Philippe P. Hujoel, Erin E. Masterson, A‐M Bollen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 11, 2017
  Objectives Fluctuating asymmetries in the craniofacial skeleton have been shown to be predictive for mortality from degenerative diseases. We investigate whether lower face asymmetries are a potential marker for the developmental origins of health and disease. Methods The lower face of a representative sample of 6654 12‐ to 17‐year old United States (US) adolescents (1966‐1970, National Health Examination Survey III) was classified as asymmetric when the mandibular teeth occluded prognathically (forward) or retrognathically (backward) on one side of the face only. It was investigated whether these lower face asymmetries were directional (preferentially to the left or the right) or fluctuating (random left‐right distribution) in the US population. Results Lower face asymmetries affected 1 in 4 of the US adolescents. Unilateral retrognathic dental occlusions were fluctuating asymmetries, had a US prevalence of 17.0% (95% confidence interval: 15.5‐18.4) and were associated with race/ethnicity (P < .0001), not with handedness (P < .7607). Unilateral prognathic dental occlusions were directional asymmetries (P < .0001), had a US prevalence of 7.6% (95% confidence interval: 6.4‐8.7) and were associated with large household size (P < .001) and handedness (P < .0223). Lower face asymmetries were not associated with distinct heritable traits such as color blindness. Conclusions The findings suggest that lower face asymmetries are a marker for environmental stress and cerebral lateralization during early development.

  April 11, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23005   open full text
• What is significant about a single nursing session? An exploratory study.
  Elizabeth M. Miller.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 05, 2017
  Objectives Researchers and clinicians specializing in breastfeeding often rely on measuring one nursing session to characterize the breastfeeding relationship. However, less is known about the descriptive or statistically predictive characteristics of one nursing session. The purposes of this study are twofold: (1) to explore the relationships between variables in a single nursing session; and (2) to study the association between variables in a single nursing session and infant length‐for‐age (LAZ) and weight‐for‐age (WAZ). Methods In 63 nursing mother‐infant pairs in the United States, anthropometric measurement and observation of a single nursing session revealed six nursing session variables: fore milk fat percent, hind milk fat percent, infant milk intake, duration of session, time since last session, and time of day of session. Results A principle factor analysis, undertaken to explore latent variables underlying the six session variables, revealed two factors: (1) loaded highly on fore and hind milk fat percentage, reflecting the overall fat percent in a feed; and (2) loaded highly on milk intake and hind milk fat percentage, indicating the process of breast emptying. In multivariate analyses of all session variables on infant LAZ and WAZ, only hind milk fat percentage was significantly negatively associated with LAZ (β = −0.14, P = .01 (two‐tailed), R2 = 0.070), confirmed by a significant negative association between LAZ and factor one (β = −0.32, P = .05 (two‐tailed), R2 = 0.090). Conclusions This research describes the dynamics of a single nursing session, and has the potential to help explain variation in infant growth and nutrition.

  April 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23004   open full text
• Change in postmenarche anthropometric indicators in indigenous and nonindigenous adolescents from Chile.
  Macarena Lara, Patricia Bustos, Hugo Amigo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 05, 2017
  Objective To analyze the change in anthropometric indicators between menarche and 36 months after menarche among indigenous and non‐indigenous adolescents from the Araucanía Region of Chile. Method This was a concurrent cohort study. Of 8,504 girls interviewed, 114 indigenous adolescents and 123 nonindigenous adolescents who had recently experienced menarche were selected. Body mass index (BMI), BMI by age (BMI z‐score), waist circumference (WC) and body fat percentage (BF%) were evaluated at menarche and 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months postmenarche. Linear models estimated with generalized estimating equations were used to quantify disparities adjusted for baseline anthropometric values, age at menarche, place of residence, and socioeconomic level. RESULTS Indigenous girls presented menarche 4 months later than nonindigenous girls and had significantly higher BMI (1.5 kg/m2), BMI z‐score (0.4), WC (2.9 cm), and BF% (1.7%) at menarche. Adjusted results did not show an association between being indigenous and post‐menarche anthropometric variables: BMI = 0.1 kg/m2 (CI = −0.3; 0.5), BMI z‐score = 0 (CI = −0.1; 0.1), WC = 0.7 cm (CI = −0.6; 2.0), and BF% = 0.5% (CI = −0.2; 1.3). It is important to mention that the mean BMI z‐score of both groups were in the overweight category. CONCLUSION At menarche, indigenous girls had higher values than nonindigenous girls for all anthropometric variables, and this trend remained after menarche, with no further change in ethnic disparity over the subsequent three years. This reinforces the need to implement interventions to prevent or control excess weight prior to menarche, with emphasis on indigenous girls.

  April 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23006   open full text
• The ecology of population dispersal: Modeling alternative basin‐plateau foraging strategies to explain the Numic expansion.
  Kate E. Magargal, Ashley K. Parker, Kenneth Blake Vernon, Will Rath, Brian F. Codding.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 04, 2017
  Objectives The expansion of Numic speaking populations into the Great Basin required individuals to adapt to a relatively unproductive landscape. Researchers have proposed numerous social and subsistence strategies to explain how and why these settlers were able to replace any established populations, including private property and intensive plant processing. Here we evaluate these hypotheses and propose a new strategy involving the use of landscape fire to increase resource encounter rates. Methods Implementing a novel, spatially explicit, multi‐scalar prey choice model, we examine how individual decisions approximating each alternative strategy (private property, anthropogenic fire, and intensive plant processing) would aggregate at the patch and band level to confer an overall benefit to this colonizing population. Analysis relies on experimental data reporting resource profitability and abundance, ecological data on the historic distribution of vegetation patches, and ethnohistoric data on the distribution of Numic bands. Results Model results show that while resource privatization and landscape fires produce a substantial advantage, intensified plant processing garners the greatest benefit. The relative benefits of alternative strategies vary significantly across ecological patches resulting in variation across ethnographic band ranges. Combined, a Numic strategy including all three alternatives would substantially increase subsistence yields. Conclusions The application of a strategy set that includes landscape fire, privatization and intensified processing of seeds and nuts, explains why the Numa were able to outcompete local populations. This approach provides a framework to help explain how individual decisions can result in such population replacement events throughout human history.

  April 04, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23000   open full text
• A call for action: Why anthropologists can (and should) join the discussion on climate change through education.
  Lauren N. Butaric, Lydia E. O. Light, Sara L. Juengst.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 29, 2017
  Anthropologists, human biologists, and researchers in related fields have been investigating the human‐environment interaction and its effects on health for decades. While there have been numerous studies from the medical‐ and health‐sectors pointing to the connection between climate change and health needs, as well as studies advocating for the incorporation of appropriate curricula addressing these needs in medical schools and health‐professional programs, this connection is not being systematically taught to our future healthcare professionals. Here, we first briefly summarize research highlighting the interaction between environment and health; we follow this with discussion about why this interaction is important for current and future medical professionals to understand, particularly in light of the current issues of climate change. We specifically address how anthropologists and human biologists have contributed to the literature on marginal environments and climate change, and how anthropological research may be incorporated in health‐oriented and medical classrooms to aid in this discussion. Through interdisciplinary collaboration between anthropologists, human biologists, medical‐health professionals, and researchers in other fields, we can learn from our past and play a part in piecing together our future health care issues and needs.

  March 29, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23002   open full text
• The fat‐but‐fit paradigm within the context of cognitive function.
  Meghan K. Edwards, Paul D. Loprinzi.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 28, 2017
  Objective To evaluate the association of the Fat‐but‐Fit paradigm with cognitive function in an older adult population. Methods Data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used (N = 2,336 adults 60–85 yrs). Physical activity was assessed via open‐ended questions asking about participation in 48 leisure‐time activities over the previous 30 days. Using Metabolic Equivalent of Task calculations for each activity, participants were classified as either active or inactive. Participants were then classified into one of six groups (Normal BMI and Inactive [referent], Overweight BMI and Inactive, Obese BMI and Inactive, Normal BMI and Active, Overweight BMI and Active, Obese BMI and Active), based on their activity status and body mass index (BMI). The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) was employed to assess cognitive function. Results Compared to those who had a normal BMI and were inactive (referent), those who had a normal BMI and were active had a 4‐unit higher DSST score (β = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.0–6.9; P = 0.009); those with an overweight BMI and active had a 4.5‐unit higher DSST score (β = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.3–7.6; P = 0.008); and those who had an obese BMI and active had a 3.7‐unit higher DSST score (β = 3.7; 95% CI: 0.96–6.4; P = 0.01). Conclusion Being active, regardless of weight classification (normal, overweight, or obese) was positively associated with cognitive function in this sample of older adults. This suggests that perhaps the best strategy to promote cognitive health in this population may be to encourage adequate levels of physical activity.

  March 28, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.23001   open full text
• Heavier birth weight associated with taller height but not age at menarche in US women born 1991‐1998.
  Megan Workman, Karina Kelly.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 26, 2017
  Objectives Heavier birth weight predicts taller adult height, but it remains unknown the extent to which this additional height increment results from a faster average growth rate versus an extension of the growth period. Aiming to distinguish these effects, this study examined associations between birth weight (BW), age at menarche (an established proxy for growth duration), and near‐adult height in a cohort of US young women born in the 1990s. Methods Multiple regression evaluated age‐adjusted height as an outcome of BW, age at menarche, indicators of family socioeconomic status, and other potential confounders in a sample of US teens who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2012 (N = 342). Relevant interactions were also evaluated. Results Mean ± SD was 11.9 ± 1.2 years and 3262 ± 592 g for age at menarche and BW, respectively. BW did not predict age at menarche (β = –.01, p = .838). Girls were 1.3 cm taller per year delay in menarche (p < .001) and 2.9 cm taller per 1 kg increase in BW (p < .001). Additionally, the greatest gain in height associated with delayed menarche was observed among the heaviest BW quartile. Conclusions Girls born heavier were taller but experienced menarche at similar ages to girls born lighter. To the extent that age at menarche reflected growth duration, these results demonstrate faster average growth among heavier‐born girls. Consistent with fetal programming of average growth rate, these results held after adjustment for confounders of postnatal growth like family socioeconomic status.

  March 26, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22999   open full text
• The second epidemiologic transition on the brink: What we can learn from the island of Newfoundland during the early 20th century.
  Dana M. Schmidt, Lisa Sattenspiel.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 16, 2017
  Objectives We aim to understand how the second epidemiologic transition unfolded on the island of Newfoundland during the early 20th century. The focus is on changes in predominant causes of mortality throughout this period, urban and rural differences, and comparisons with other Western nations. We explore factors driving these patterns including the economy, nutrition, sanitation, and access to healthcare and discuss their relevance to understanding epidemiologic transitions in other developing regions. Methods We examined official provincial death records (n = 65,394) and census materials from 1900 to 1939 for three rural districts (Burgeo‐La Poile, Bonavista, and Twillingate) and the large city of St. John's. Life expectancies, infant mortality rates, survival curves, and proportionate mortality from communicable and non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) were calculated. RESULTS In all districts, old age mortality increased while infant and childhood mortality decreased, with corresponding increases in life expectancy. Proportionate mortality from communicable causes decreased while deaths from NCDs increased. These changes occurred earlier in urban St. John's than in outlying districts, suggesting rural–urban differences played a significant role in Newfoundland's second epidemiologic transition. However, the transition was significantly delayed relative to other Western nations. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that observed mortality patterns were the result of complex interactions between the poor economy, malnutrition, high prevalence of tuberculosis, and limited health and social services. These factors contribute to the delayed onset of the second epidemiologic transition in Newfoundland relative to other Western nations and the earlier onset in St. John's than in rural areas.

  March 16, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22997   open full text
• Police work stressors and cardiac vagal control.
  Michael E. Andrew, John M. Violanti, Ja K. Gu, Desta Fekedulegn, Shengqiao Li, Tara A. Hartley, Luenda E. Charles, Anna Mnatsakanova, Diane B. Miller, Cecil M. Burchfiel.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 14, 2017
  Objectives This study examines relationships between the frequency and intensity of police work stressors and cardiac vagal control, estimated using the high frequency component of heart rate variability (HRV). METHODS This is a cross‐sectional study of 360 officers from the Buffalo New York Police Department. Police stress was measured using the Spielberger police stress survey, which includes exposure indices created as the product of the self‐evaluation of how stressful certain events were and the self‐reported frequency with which they occurred. Vagal control was estimated using the high frequency component of resting HRV calculated in units of milliseconds squared and reported in natural log scale. Associations between police work stressors and vagal control were examined using linear regression for significance testing and analysis of covariance for descriptive purposes, stratified by gender, and adjusted for age and race/ethnicity. RESULTS There were no significant associations between police work stressor exposure indices and vagal control among men. Among women, the inverse associations between the lack of support stressor exposure and vagal control were statistically significant in adjusted models for indices of exposure over the past year (lowest stressor quartile: M = 5.57, 95% CI 5.07 to 6.08, and highest stressor quartile: M = 5.02, 95% CI 4.54 to 5.51, test of association from continuous linear regression of vagal control on lack of support stressor β = −0.273, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS This study supports an inverse association between lack of organizational support and vagal control among female but not male police officers.

  March 14, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22996   open full text
• How much impact do gains in height have on shoulder breadths within Taiwanese families?
  Bruce Floyd.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 07, 2017
  Objectives This study investigates allometric changes in shoulder breadths relative to changes in stature arising from rapidly changing developmental circumstances within 107 Taiwanese families. It speaks to broader issues related to the extent of phenotypic plasticity of body breadths humans are capable of in response to reductions in developmental stressors. Methods An examination of relationships between shoulder breadth and height within individuals in each generation was followed by evaluation of patterns of difference between same‐sex parent–offspring pairs in height and shoulder breadth. Results Height was similarly positively correlated with shoulder breadth within fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters (P ≤ 0.002). Variance accounted for ranged from an adjusted R2 of 0.201 among fathers to 0.151 for sons, with mothers' and daughters' values being 0.187 and 0.181, respectively. Comparisons of differences within families indicate that parents who were shorter than their same‐sex offspring also tended to have modestly narrower biacromial breadths (father–son pairs: adjusted R2 = 0.112; t = 2.82, P = .007; mother–daughter pairs: adjusted R2 = 0.135; t = 2.97, P = 0.005). Conclusions Taken as a whole, results here support the view that secular changes in stature are not accompanied by similar changes in body breadths, perhaps so that responses to developmental environmental improvements do not alter thermoregulatory equilibria that reflect long‐term evolutionary processes. These results indirectly constrain plausible hypotheses about how ancestors of Austronesian speakers altered their body size and shape as they voyaged to Fiji, Western Polynesia, and beyond.

  March 07, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22991   open full text
• Pubertal testis volume, age at pubertal onset, and adolescent blood pressure: Evidence from Hong Kong's “Children of 1997” birth cohort.
  Man Ki Kwok, Gabriel M. Leung, C. Mary Schooling.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 03, 2017
  Objectives A warning from Health Canada suggests that testosterone increases blood pressure (BP). No evidence from large randomized controlled trials is available, and observational studies are confounded by ill‐health lowering serum testosterone. To address the evidence gap, we assessed the association of pubertal testicular volume, as a reflection of testosterone production, with BP. Methods We examined whether testicular volume was associated with sex‐, age‐, and height‐standardized BP z‐score at ∼13 years in a population‐representative Chinese birth cohort (n = 5195, 63% follow‐up). We used age at pubertal onset, determined as the earliest age when Tanner stage II for genitalia, breast, or pubic hair, or testicular volume of 4 mL occurred, as control exposures. These exposures were expected to produce findings different from testicular volume because they are not direct measures of testosterone. They were used to ascertain specificity of exposure and to detect residual confounding. Results Greater testicular volume was associated with higher systolic BP by 0.03 z‐score, which is equivalent to 1.40 mm Hg per standard deviation of testicular volume (95% CI 0.02–0.04), adjusted for infant characteristics, socioeconomic position, and childhood body mass index. Similarly adjusted, earlier pubertal onset was not associated with higher systolic BP z‐score in boys or girls. Conclusions Greater pubertal testicular volume is related to higher BP, consistent with a potential role of androgens in the higher BP in boys than girls that emerges during puberty. Our finding provides preliminary evidence supportive of more definitive studies to clarify the warning on testosterone from Health Canada.

  March 03, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22993   open full text
• Shape change and obesity prevalence among male UK offshore workers after 30 years: New insight from a 3D scanning study.
  Arthur D. Stewart, Robert L. Ledingham, Graham Furnace, Hector Williams, Alan M. Nevill.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 02, 2017
  Objectives In 1984, male UK offshore workers had greater overweight and obesity prevalence and fat content than the general population. Since then, body weight has increased by 19%, but, without accompanying anthropometric measures, their size increase, current obesity, and fatness prevalence remain unknown. This study therefore aimed to acquire contemporary anthropometric data, profile changes since the original survey, and assess current obesity prevalence in the male offshore workforce. Methods A total of 588 men, recruited via quota sampling to match the workforce weight profile, underwent stature, weight, and 3D photonic scanning measurements from which anatomical girths were extracted, enabling computation of body mass index (BMI), total fat, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Results On average, UK male offshore workers are now 8.1 y older, 3.1 cm taller, 13.9 kg heavier, and have greater girths than in 1984, which are >97% attributable to increased weight, and <3% to age difference. Mean BMI increased significantly from 24.9 to 28.1 kg/m2 and of the contemporary sample, 18% have healthy weight, 52% are overweight, and 30% obese, representing an increase in overweight and obesity prevalence by 6% and 24%, respectively. Waist cutoffs identify 39% of the contemporary sample as healthy, 27% at increased health risk, and 34% at high risk. Conclusions UK offshore workers today have higher BMI than Scottish men, although some muscular individuals may be misclassified by BMI. Girth data, particularly at the waist, where dimensional increase was greatest, together with predictions of total and visceral fatness, suggest less favorable health status in others.

  March 02, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22992   open full text
• High altitude agriculture in the Titicaca basin (800 BCE–200 CE): Impacts on nutrition and disease load.
  Sara L. Juengst, Dale L. Hutchinson, Sergio J. Chávez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 02, 2017
  Objectives This study investigates the biological impacts of sedentism and agriculture on humans living in the high altitude landscape of the Titicaca Basin between 800 BCE and CE 200. The transition to agriculture in other global areas resulted in increases in disease and malnutrition; the high altitude of the Titicaca Basin could have exacerbated this. Our objective is to test whether the high altitude of the Titicaca Basin created a marginal environment for early agriculturalists living there, reflected through elevated rates of malnutrition and/or disease. Methods To test this, we analyzed human remains excavated from seven archaeological sites on the Copacabana Peninsula for markers of diet and disease. These markers included dental caries, dental abscesses, cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periosteal reactions, osteomyelitis, and linear enamel hypoplasia. Results Results showed that markers of diet did not support malnutrition or micronutrient deficiencies but instead, indicated a relatively diverse diet for all individuals. Markers of disease also did not vary significantly but were common, indicating circulation of pathogens or chronic bodily stress. Conclusions We interpret these results as an indication that while diets remained nutritious, investment in the landscape exposed populations to issues of sanitation and disease. The high‐altitude of the Titicaca Basin did not exacerbate the biological impacts of agriculture in terms of increased malnutrition. Additionally, disease load was likely related to problems faced by many sedentary groups as opposed to unique challenges posed by high altitude. In sum, despite the high elevation, the Titicaca Basin is not truly a marginal environment for humans.

  March 02, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22988   open full text
• Human Biologyassociation: Program of the 42nd Annual Meeting to be held in New Orleans, LA The Westin New Orleans Canal Place April 19‐20, 2017.
  
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 02, 2017
  There is no abstract available for this paper.

  March 02, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22973   open full text
• Association between blood pressure and magnesium and uric acid levels in indigenous Argentinean children at high altitude.
  Valeria Hirschler, Claudio González, Gustavo Maccallini, Claudia Molinari, Luis Castano,.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 01, 2017
  Objective To determine the association between nontraditional risk factors such as magnesium and uric acid with blood pressure (BP) in Indigenous children. Methods A total of 263 school‐aged indigenous children living at high altitude were enrolled in a cross‐sectional study in November 2011. Prehypertension (preHTN) and hypertension (HTN) were defined by systolic and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90th to <95th percentile or ≥95th percentile respectively, according to age, sex, and height. Results The prevalence of preHTN and HTN was 13.7 and 8.3%, respectively. Low magnesium levels were identified in 21.7% (57/263): 28.1% (16/57) of the children with low magnesium levels had preHTN versus 9.7% (20/206) with normal magnesium values. Furthermore, 21.8% (12/57) of the children with low magnesium levels had HTN versus 4.5% (20/206) with normal magnesium values. There was a significant association between mean arterial pressure and magnesium (r = −026), uric acid (r = 0.20), phosphorus (r = −0.17), z‐BMI (r = 0.22), potassium (r = −0.10), HOMA‐IR (r = 0.17), calcium (r = −0.10), and sodium (r = −0.13). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that mean arterial pressure was associated significantly and directly with BMI, age, gender, and uric acid; and inversely with magnesium, adjusted for sodium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and HOMA‐IR (R2 = 0.43). Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that magnesium (OR = 0.015) and uric acid (OR = 2.95) were significantly associated with preHTN. Similar results were obtained when preHTN was replaced by HTN. Conclusion Our results indicate that HTN was associated inversely with magnesium and positively with uric acid in indigenous school children.

  March 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22989   open full text
• Nutrition and physical activity transitions in the Ecuadorian Andes: Differences among urban and rural‐dwelling women.
  Christopher L. Melby, Fadya Orozco, Diana Ochoa, Maria Muquinche, Manuel Padro, Fabian N. Munoz.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 01, 2017
  Objectives The nutrition and physical activity transitions, characterized by increased consumption of high energy density foods and more sedentary lifestyles, are associated with increased obesity and hypertension in Ecuador. These transitions have been characterized primarily in urban areas, which may neglect variation in specific rural areas of Ecuador. Therefore we examined the extent of the differences in dietary and activity patterns, obesity prevalence, and blood pressure (BP) in urban and rural‐dwelling women in the Ecuadorian central highlands. Methods Urban‐dwelling women (UW, n = 198, mean age = 44 years) from three areas of a city of 250,000 residents and rural women (RW; n = 202, mean age = 47 years) from three remote communities in the same province (Chimborazo) were randomly selected and surveyed for dietary and activity practices, BP, and anthropometrics. Results Ninety percent of UW reported obtaining their food primarily from markets while 65% of RW women obtained their food primarily from their own cultivation. Cookies, cakes, candies, ice cream, and French fries were consumed more frequently by UW. RW reported lower consumption of beef, poultry, and chicken, as well as fruits, milk, and white rice. UW compared to RW women spent less time walking and in strenuous work activities. Obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) (UW = 18.7% vs RW = 9.2%) and hypertension (UW = 15.7%, RW= 3.0%) were more common in UW. Average systolic and diastolic BP was significantly higher in UW. Conclusions The nutrition and physical activity transitions appear more evident in urban‐ compared to rural‐dwelling women, and are associated with more obesity and higher BP.

  March 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22986   open full text
• Breast shape (ptosis) as a marker of a woman's breast attractiveness and age: Evidence from Poland and Papua.
  Agata Groyecka, Agnieszka Żelaźniewicz, Michał Misiak, Maciej Karwowski, Piotr Sorokowski.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 17, 2017
  Objectives A women's breast is a sex‐specific and aesthetic bodily attribute. It is suggested that breast morphology signals maturity, health, and fecundity. The perception of a woman's attractiveness and age depends on various cues, such as breast size or areola pigmentation. Conducted in Poland and Papua, the current study investigated how breast attractiveness, and the further estimate of a woman's age based on her breast's appearance, is affected by the occurrence of breast ptosis (ie, sagginess, droopiness). Methods In the Polish sample, 57 women and 50 men (N = 107) were presented with sketches of breasts manipulated to represent different stages of ptosis based on two different breast ptosis classifications. The participants were asked to rate the breast attractiveness and age of the woman whose breasts were depicted in each sketch. In Papua, 45 men aged 20 to 75 years took part in the study, which was conducted using only one of the classifications of breast ptosis. Results Regardless of the classification used, the results showed that the assessed attractiveness of the breasts decreased as the estimated age increased with respect to the more ptotic breasts depicted in the sketches. The results for Papuan raters were the same as for the Polish sample. Conclusions Breast ptosis may be yet another physical trait that affects the perception and preferences of a potential sexual partner. The consistency in ratings between Polish and Papuan raters suggests that the tendency to assess ptotic breasts with aging and a loss of attractiveness is cross‐culturally universal.

  February 17, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22981   open full text
• Global effects of income and income inequality on adult height and sexual dimorphism in height.
  Barry Bogin, Christiane Scheffler, Michael Hermanussen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 15, 2017
  Objectives Average adult height of a population is considered a biomarker of the quality of the health environment and economic conditions. The causal relationships between height and income inequality are not well understood. We analyze data from 169 countries for national average heights of men and women and national‐level economic factors to test two hypotheses: (1) income inequality has a greater association with average adult height than does absolute income; and (2) neither income nor income inequality has an effect on sexual dimorphism in height. Methods Average height data come from the NCD‐RisC health risk factor collaboration. Economic indicators are derived from the World Bank data archive and include gross domestic product (GDP), Gross National Income per capita adjusted for personal purchasing power (GNI_PPP), and income equality assessed by the Gini coefficient calculated by the Wagstaff method. Results Hypothesis 1 is supported. Greater income equality is most predictive of average height for both sexes. GNI_PPP explains a significant, but smaller, amount of the variation. National GDP has no association with height. Hypothesis 2 is rejected. With greater average adult height there is greater sexual dimorphism. Conclusions Findings support a growing literature on the pernicious effects of inequality on growth in height and, by extension, on health. Gradients in height reflect gradients in social disadvantage. Inequality should be considered a pollutant that disempowers people from the resources needed for their own healthy growth and development and for the health and good growth of their children.

  February 15, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22980   open full text
• Segmented sleep in a nonelectric, small‐scale agricultural society in Madagascar.
  David R. Samson, Melissa B. Manus, Andrew D. Krystal, Efe Fakir, James J. Yu, Charles L. Nunn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 09, 2017
  Objectives We studied sleep in a rural population in Madagascar to (i) characterize sleep in an equatorial small‐scale agricultural population without electricity, (ii) assess whether sleep is linked to noise levels in a dense population, and (iii) examine the effects of experimentally introduced artificial light on sleep timing. Methods Using actigraphy, sleep–wake patterns were analyzed for both daytime napping and nighttime wakefulness in 21 participants for a sum total of 292 days. Functional linear modeling was used to characterize 24‐h time‐averaged circadian patterns and to investigate the effect of experimentally introduced mobile field lights on sleep timing. We also obtained the first polysomnography (PSG) recordings of sleep in a traditional population. Results In every measure of sleep duration and quality, the Malagasy population experienced shorter and lower quality sleep when compared to similarly measured postindustrial values. The population slept for a total of 6.5 h per night and napped during 89% of recorded days. We observed a peak in activity after midnight for both sexes on 49% of nights, consistent with segmented sleep. Access to mobile field lights had no statistical effect on nighttime sleep timing. From PSG, we documented relatively short rapid eye movement (14%), poor sleep efficiency (66%), and high wake after sleep onset (162 min). Conclusions Sleep in this population is segmented, similar to the “first” sleep and “second” sleep reported in the historical record. Moreover, although average sleep duration and quality were lower than documented in Western populations, circadian rhythms were more stable across days.

  February 09, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22979   open full text
• Deficits in anthropometric indices of nutritional status and motor performance among low birth weight children from Maputo City, Mozambique.
  Mario Eugénio Tchamo, Marcos André Moura‐dos‐Santos, Fernanda Karina dos Santos, António Prista, Carol Góis Leandro.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 08, 2017
  Objective To evaluate associations between low birth weight (LBW) and anthropometry, body composition, physical fitness, and gross motor coordination among schoolchildren from Maputo, Mozambique. Methods A total of 353 children aged 7 to 10 years old from both genders born in Maputo (Mozambique) were sampled. The sample was divided into two groups: LBW (n = 155) and normal birth weight (NBW, n = 198). Body composition measurements and indices weight‐for‐age, height‐for‐age, and weight‐for‐height were assessed. Physical fitness was assessed by handgrip strength, flexibility, agility, long jump, and running speed. Gross motor coordination was evaluated by using the Korper Koordination Test fur Kinder (KTK) battery. Results LBW children were lighter and smaller than NBW children with reduced indices for weight‐for‐age and height‐for‐age. They also showed a reduced performance in handgrip strength and sideways movement tests. These differences remained significant even after adjustment for age, gender, body size, and fatness skinfold thickness. Conclusion LBW seems to be the major factor that influences anthropometry, and is a predictor of low muscle strength and low performance on sideways movement tests. This result suggests that growth faltering in LBW children is associated with adverse health consequences, even after controlling for gender, age, fatness, and body size.

  February 08, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22949   open full text
• Bioelectrical impedance vector reference values for assessing body composition in a Spanish child and adolescent population.
  María Paz Redondo‐del‐Río, María Alicia Camina‐Martín, Josí‐Manuel Marugán‐de‐Miguelsanz, Beatriz de‐Mateo‐Silleras.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 06, 2017
  Objectives Reference values of the bioelectrical impedance vector for the Spanish child and adolescent population are needed for assessing body composition and hydration status in this population. The aim of this study is to provide reference values of the bioelectrical impedance vector in Spanish children and adolescents aged 4‐18 years from Castilla y León. Methods This was a cross‐sectional descriptive study conducted in 4401 Spanish healthy children and adolescents aged 4‐18 years (2265 boys and 2136 girls). Resistance and reactance were measured with a single‐frequency impedance analyzer at 50 kHz (tetrapolar analysis). The values of resistance and reactance normalized by height were used to plot the bivariate 50th, 75th, and 95th percentiles of the population by age group. Mean impedance vectors were compared with Hotelling's T2 test for vector analysis (differences being considered significant if p < .05). Results Tolerance ellipses were drawn for the Spanish child and adolescent population studied. The mean impedance vector showed displacement across all age groups except for (1) girls aged 12–13 years, (2) girls aged 15–18 years, and (3) boys aged 16–18 years. There were sex‐related differences in the mean impedance vector in all age ranges, even in prepubertal children. Among adolescents, the patterns of the vector displacement were consistent with the timing of normal growth and development in all groups and are attributable to the maturation process. Conclusions New tolerance ellipses have been constructed for Spanish children and adolescents by sex and age. These ellipses reflect the timing of normal childhood growth and development.

  February 06, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22978   open full text
• Weight, gender, and depressive symptoms in South Korea.
  Alexandra A. Brewis, Seung Yong Han, Cindi L. SturtzSreetharan.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 05, 2017
  Objectives Obesity consistently predicts depression risk, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Body concerns are proposed as key. South Korean society is characterized by extremely high levels of explicit weight stigma, possibly the highest globally. Using cross‐sectional Korean 2014 National Health Examination Survey (KNHANES) data, we test this proposition in a nationally representative sample of South Korean adults (N = 5,632). Methods Depressive symptoms (outcome variable), was based on the PHQ‐9. Weight status (predictor variable), was based on direct measures of height and weight converted to BMI. Weight concern was self‐reported. Mediation analyses tested how weight concern mediated the influence of weight status on depressive symptoms for women and men. Results Current weight status influenced depressive symptoms in Korean adults, but not always directly. Concerns of being “fat” mediated that relationship. The effect increased significantly as BMI increased within “normal” and overweight/obese categories for women, and in overweight/obese categories for men. Even though women classified as underweight were significantly more depressed than those in other weight categories, there was no similar mediation effect related to weight concerns. Conclusion For South Koreans, the stress of adhering to social norms and avoiding stigma related to body weight seems to explain the relationship between higher body weight and more depressive symptoms. Women are more vulnerable overall, but men are not immune. This study demonstrates that body concerns help explain why weight predicts depression, and more broadly supports the proposition that widespread weight‐related stigma is a potentially major, if unrecognized, driver of population‐level health disparities.

  February 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22972   open full text
• Equation‐derived body fat percentage indicates metabolic abnormalities among normal‐weight adults in a rural Chinese population.
  Xin Liu, Yaling Zhao, Qiang Li, Shaonong Dang, Hong Yan.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 05, 2017
  Objectives Obesity classification using body mass index (BMI) may miss subjects with elevated body fat percentage (BF%) and related metabolic risk factors. We aimed to evaluate whether BF% calculated by equations could provide more information about metabolic risks, in addition to BMI classification, in a cross‐sectional rural Chinese population. Methods A total of 2,990 men and women aged 18–80 years were included in this study. BF% was calculated using previously validated Chinese‐specific equations. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the updated National Cholesterol Education Program Panel III criteria for Asian Americans. Results In total, 33.6% men and 32.9% women were overweight/obese according to BMI classification. Among those within the normal BMI range, 25.4% men and 54.7% women were indicated as overweight or obese given their elevated BF% (men: BF% ≥ 20%; women: BF% ≥ 30%). In both men and women, compared with those with normal BMI and BF% (NBB), subjects with normal BMI but elevated BF% (NBOB) were more likely to carry abnormal serum lipid profile and to have higher risks of metabolic syndrome. The multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for metabolic syndrome were 5.45 (2.37–9.53, P < 0.001) and 5.65 (3.36–9.52, P < 0.001) for men and women, respectively. Moreover, the women with NBOB also showed higher blood pressure and serum uric acid than women with NBB. Conclusions Our study suggested that high BF% based on equations may indicate adverse metabolic profiles among rural Chinese adults with a normal BMI.

  February 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22964   open full text
• The relationship between loading history and proximal femoral diaphysis cross‐sectional geometry.
  Sirpa Niinimäki, Nathaniel Narra, Laura Härkönen, Shinya Abe, Riku Nikander, Jari Hyttinen, Christopher Knüsel, Harri Sievänen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 05, 2017
  Objectives We investigated the relationship between loading history and bone biomechanical properties used in physical activity reconstructions. These bone properties included bone bending and torsional strength (J), cortical area (CA), the direction of the major axis (theta angle), and element shape ratios determined from cross sections of standardized bone length. In addition, we explored the applicability of anatomically determined cross sections. Methods Our material consisted of hip and proximal thigh magnetic resonance images of Finnish female athletes (N = 91) engaged in high‐jump, triple‐jump, endurance running, swimming, power‐lifting, soccer and squash; along with a group of active non‐athlete individuals (N = 20). We used regression analysis for size‐adjustment, and the extracted residuals were then used to compare differences in the bone properties between groups. Results We found that triple‐jumpers, soccer players, and squash players had the greatest values in CA and J, swimmers and non‐athletes had the smallest, whereas high‐jumpers, power‐lifters, and endurance runners exhibited interim values. No between‐the‐group differences in element shape ratios or theta angles were found. We found that influences of activity were similar regardless of whether standardized length or anatomically determined cross sections were used. Conclusions Extreme (triple‐jump) and directionally inconsistent loading (soccer and squash) necessitate a more robust skeleton compared to directionally consistent loading (high‐jump, power‐lifting, and endurance running) or non‐impact loading (swimming and non‐athletes). However, not all of these relationships were statistically significant. Thus, information gained about physical activity using bone properties is informative but limited. Accounting for the limitations, the method is applicable on fragmented skeletal material as anatomically determined cross sections can be used.

  February 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22965   open full text
• Not just a fallback food: global patterns of insect consumption related to geography, not agriculture.
  Julie J. Lesnik.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 01, 2017
  Objectives Insects as food are often viewed as fallback resources and associated with marginal environments. This study investigates the relationship between insect consumption and noncultivated landscapes as well as with other independent variables including latitude, area, population, and gross domestic product. Methods Data were obtained from online databases including the World List of Edible Insects, the World Bank, and the World Factbook. Results A logistic regression model found that latitude could correctly predict the presence of edible insects 80% of the time and that arable land and gross domestic product showed no effect. Spearman rank‐order correlation with number of insect species found significant relationships between area and population (but not density) and per capita gross domestic product as well as latitude. Further analysis of latitude using paired Mann‐Whitney tests identified a general gradient pattern in reduction of edible insects with increased latitude. Conclusions Results suggest that insect consumption represents a dynamic human‐environment interaction, whereby insects are utilized in some of the world's lushest environments as well as areas where people have had great impact on the ecosystem. The concept that insects are a fallback food is an oversimplification that is likely rooted in Western bias against this food source.

  February 01, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22976   open full text
• The historical spread of Arabian Pastoralists to the eastern African Sahel evidenced by the lactase persistence −13,915*G allele and mitochondrial DNA.
  Edita Priehodová, Frédéric Austerlitz, Martina Čížková, Mohammed G. Mokhtar, Estella S. Poloni, Viktor Černý.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 27, 2017
  Objectives Thanks to the ability to digest lactose, Arabian nomads had become less dependent upon their sedentary neighbors and some of these populations spread to Africa. When and by which route they migrated to their current locations have previously been addressed only by historical and archaeological data. Methods To address the question of Arab expansion into Africa, we collected samples from several Arabic populations, especially the Baggara in Chad and Sudan. We analyzed mutations associated with lactase persistence and reconstructed the surrounding haplotypes defined by SNP polymorphisms. We also sequenced their mitochondrial DNA to investigate relative proportions of sub‐Saharan and Eurasian origins. Results We estimated the expansion age of the −13,915*G mutation in four different Arabian datasets. The oldest age was identified in Yemen (1,356–1,799 ya) and the youngest in a Sudanese group of Rashaayda Arabs (219–312 ya). We also found a negative correlation between the frequency of the −13,915*G allele and the frequency of sub‐Saharan mtDNA haplotypes. Conclusions Even if the age of the most recent common ancestor of −13,915*G is ∼4 ka as shown in a previous study, our results suggest that its spread to Africa was more recent, which is consistent with the migrations of Arabic tribes. Because the incidence of sub‐Saharan mtDNA haplotypes is negatively correlated with the occurrence of −13,915*G, we suggest that the decrease of its frequency in Africa has been caused by progressive admixture of the Arabian nomads with sub‐Saharan populations.

  January 27, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22950   open full text
• Early life infection, but not breastfeeding, predicts adult blood telomere lengths in the Philippines.
  Dan T. A. Eisenberg, Judith B. Borja, M. Geoffrey Hayes, Christopher W. Kuzawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 25, 2017
  Objectives Telomeres are repetitive DNA at chromosomes ends that shorten with age due to cellular replication and oxidative stress. As telomeres shorten, this can eventually place limits on cell replication and contribute to senescence. Infections are common during early development and activate cellular immune responses that involve clonal expansion and oxidative stress. As such, a high infectious disease burden might shorten blood telomere length (BTL) and accelerate the pace of immune senescence. Methods To test this, BTL measured in young adults (21.7 ± 0.3 years old) from the Philippines (N = 1,759) were linked to prospectively collected early life data on infectious burden. Results As predicted, increased early life diarrheal prevalence was associated with shorter adult BTL. The association was most marked for infections experienced from 6 to 12 months, which corresponds with weaning and maximal diarrheal burden. A standard deviation increase in infections at 6–12 m predicts a 45 bp decrease in BTL, equivalent to 3.3 years of adult telomeric aging in this population. Contrary to expectations, breastfeeding duration was not associated with BTL, nor did effects vary by sex. Conclusions These findings show that infancy diarrheal disease predicts a marker of cellular aging in adult immune cells. These findings suggest that early life infectious burden may influence late life health, or alternatively, that short TL in early life increases infectious disease susceptibility.

  January 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22962   open full text
• Using the protein leverage hypothesis to understand socioeconomic variation in obesity.
  Traci A. Bekelman, Carolina Santamaría‐Ulloa, Darna L. Dufour, Lilliam Marín‐Arias, Ana Laura Dengo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 25, 2017
  Objectives The protein leverage hypothesis (PLH) predicts that protein appetite will stimulate excess energy intake, and consequently obesity, when the proportion of protein in the diet is low. Experimental studies support the PLH, but whether protein leverage can be used to understand socioeconomic (SES) variation in obesity is unknown. The objective of this study was to test two hypotheses from the PLH under non‐experimental conditions. Consistent with the PLH, we expect that (1) absolute protein intake will be similar across populations, here defined as SES groups and, (2) the proportion of protein in the diet will be inversely associated with energy intake. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study conducted in a random sample of 135 low‐, middle‐, and high‐SES women in Costa Rica. Anthropometry was used to calculate body mass index (BMI). Twenty‐four‐hour dietary recalls were used to measure dietary intake. Results The prevalence of obesity varied between low‐ (38.8%), middle‐ (43.9%), and high‐ (17.8%) SES women. Absolute protein intake was similar across low‐ (58.5 g), middle‐ (59.4 g), and high‐ (65.6 g) SES women (p = 0.12). Protein intake as a proportion of total energy intake was inversely associated with total energy intake only among middle‐ (r = −0.37, p = 0.02) and high‐ (r = −0.36, p = 0.01) SES women. Conclusions Consistent with the PLH, absolute protein intake was similar across SES groups. The relationship between the proportion of protein in the diet and total energy intake should be studied further in the context of real world conditions that may influence protein leverage.

  January 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22953   open full text
• Height, BMI, and relative economic standing in children from developing countries.
  Jason E. Murasko.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 25, 2017
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to estimate a height‐BMI association in child and female adolescent populations in developing countries, and to evaluate the potential role of relative economic status in this association. Methods Flexible structured additive regression models were used to estimate associations between height, BMI, and relative wealth. Linear regression models were used to evaluate height‐wealth interactions on BMI outcomes. The models were applied to pooled samples of 971,180 children under 5 years of age and 225,718 adolescent females between 15 and 19 years. Samples were taken from Demographic and Health Surveys from 64 developing countries. Results Children exhibited a strong inverse association between height and BMI over the entire distribution of height. Female adolescents showed a weak inverse association. Relative economic status was associated with a stronger height‐BMI relationship in early‐life (<3 years) and a weaker relationship as children age into their fifth year. Conclusions Relative economic status may protect against consequences of a negative height‐BMI association in young children in developing countries, first by promoting higher body weight among shorter children during the risk period for early‐life mortality, and afterwards by limiting body weight in shorter children when overweight and obesity become longer‐term health issues.

  January 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22958   open full text
• Understanding influences of culture and history on mtDNA variation and population structure in three populations from Assam, Northeast India.
  Peter H. Rej, Ranjan Deka, Heather L. Norton.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 25, 2017
  Objectives Positioned at the nexus of India, China, and Southeast Asia, Northeast India is presumed to have served as a channel for land‐based human migration since the Upper Pleistocene. Assam is the largest state in the Northeast. We characterized the genetic background of three populations and examined the ways in which their population histories and cultural practices have influenced levels of intrasample and intersample variation. Methods We examined sequence data from the mtDNA hypervariable control region and selected diagnostic mutations from the coding region in 128 individuals from three ethnic groups currently living in Assam: two Scheduled tribes (Sonowal Kachari and Rabha), and the non‐Scheduled Tai Ahom. Results The populations of Assam sampled here express mtDNA lineages indicative of South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian ancestry. We discovered two completely novel haplogroups in Assam that accounted for 6.2% of the lineages in our sample. We also identified a new subhaplogroup of M9a that is prevalent in the Sonowal Kachari of Assam (19.1%), but not present in neighboring Arunachal Pradesh, indicating substantial regional population structuring. Employing a large comparative dataset into a series of multidimensional scaling (MDS) analyses, we saw the Rabha cluster with populations sampled from Yunnan Province, indicating that the historical matrilineality of the Rabha has maintained lineages from Southern China. Conclusion Assam has undergone multiple colonization events in the time since the initial peopling event, with populations from Southern China and Southeast Asia having the greatest influence on maternal lineages in the region.

  January 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22955   open full text
• Bioarchaeology of adaptation to a marginal environment in bronze age Western China.
  Elizabeth Berger, Hui Wang.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 25, 2017
  Objectives This study examines human adaptation to the 4000 BP climate change event, which is said to have increased the marginality of Inner Asian environments. We propose to define “marginal” environments not in relation to a specific economic activity (e.g., agriculture), but in relation to whether humans living there are physiologically stressed. Methods Three sites in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu were studied, one from the early and two from the late Bronze Age (N = 125). The study includes three indicators of physiological stress: linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH); tibial periosteal lesions; and fertility. The early and late Bronze Age groups were compared to examine whether human physiological stress increased. Results The percent of individuals with LEH declined dramatically, indicating fewer growth disruptions. Tibial periosteal reactions also changed, from mostly active to mostly healing at the time of death, indicating that frailty declined. Fertility, which is sensitive to changes in population health and resource availability, did not change significantly. Conclusions Counter to the dominant narrative of environmental deterioration and subsistence system collapse, the Bronze Age residents of the Hexi Corridor show no skeletal evidence that they suffered from resource shortages or struggled to adapt in the fluctuating climate that pertained after the 4000 BP climate event. In fact, this study found that people suffered from less frailty and fewer growth disruptions after the unstable climate had persisted for some time. Therefore, in human biological terms, the Hexi Corridor did not become more marginal for human habitation during the Bronze Age.

  January 25, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22956   open full text
• Improved nutrition in the first 1000 days and adult human capital and health.
  Reynaldo Martorell.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 24, 2017
  Objective The aim of this article is to review why the first 1000 days of life are a vulnerable period of human development and the long‐term effects of a nutrition experiment carried out in Guatemala (1969–1977). Methods In 1969–77, a supplement called Atole, containing high quality protein, energy and micronutrients, was provided to women during pregnancy and lactation and to children <7 years of age in two villages while in two control villages a low‐energy drink called Fresco was provided. The villages were assigned at random to the treatment groups. Results Several reasons explain the vulnerability of the first 1000 days: rapid growth and development, high nutritional requirements, greater susceptibility to infections, high sensitivity to programming effects and full dependence on others for care, nutrition, and social interaction. Compared with Fresco, Atole improved total nutrient intakes (protein, energy, and micronutrients) and reduced stunting, but only in children < 3 years of age. A study in 2002–2004 showed that schooling, reading, and intelligence were improved in Atole villages, but only in those who received Atole before the age of 3 years. Wages of men were increased by 46% in those provided Atole through the age of 2 years. Findings for cardiovascular disease risk factors were inconclusive, perhaps because of the young age of the sample. A new study focusing on chronic diseases is ongoing (ages 38–54 years). Conclusions The Guatemalan studies indicate that substantial improvement in adult human capital and economic productivity resulted from the nutrition intervention. This provides a powerful argument for promoting improvements in nutrition in pregnant women and young children in low income countries.

  January 24, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22952   open full text
• Trends in cardiometabolic parameters among Spanish children from 2006 to 2010: The Cuenca study.
  Paola Arellano‐Ruiz, Antonio García‐Hermoso, Vicente Martínez‐Vizcaíno, Fernando Salcedo‐Aguilar, Miriam Garrido‐Miguel, Montserrat Solera‐Martinez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 24, 2017
  Objective The aim of this study was to examine the trends in cardiometabolic risk factors among schoolchildren in Cuenca, Spain, from 2006 to 2010. Methods Data were taken from two cross‐sectional surveys conducted in 2006 and 2010 among schoolchildren aged 8–12 years from 20 public schools in the province of Cuenca. The final sample consisted of 2148 participants with measured anthropometric variables, biochemical assessment, and blood pressure. Results We observed an increase in mean serum total cholesterol (8.5 mg/dL and 10.7 mg/dL), LDL‐cholesterol (13.7 mg/dL and 17.3 md/dL), triglycerides (3.6 mg/dL and 2.6 md/dL), fasting insulin (1.2 µU/mL and 0.3 µU/mL) and HOMA‐IR (0.2 and 0.02) and a decrease in mean serum HDL‐cholesterol (4.4 mg/dL and 5.7 mg/dL), systolic blood pressure (3.8 mmHg and 5.4 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (0.8 mmHg and 2.0 mmHg) in both sexes. In girls, mean arterial pressure (3.2 mmHg) also decreased in this period. In addition, we found an increase in the prevalence of adverse total cholesterol concentration (≥200 mg/dL) (7.8% and 8.9%), HDL‐cholesterol concentration (<40 mg/dL) (1.9% in boys and 3.5% in girls) and LDL cholesterol concentration (≥130mg/dL) (4.8% and 5.8%) in boys and girls, respectively. Conclusions There has been a worsening of the lipid profile in schoolchildren from Cuenca, independent of weight status and age.

  January 24, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22970   open full text
• Duration of puberty in preterm girls.
  L. L. Hui, H. S. Lam, G. M. Leung, C. M. Schooling.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 23, 2017
  Objectives Preterm birth is associated with altered pubertal timing, but the effect on pubertal duration has rarely been assessed. Here, we tested the hypothesis that preterm birth is associated with shorter duration of puberty among girls in Hong Kong where preterm birth has little social patterning. Methods In the population‐representative Chinese birth cohort “Children of 1997”, we used multivariable linear regression to assess the association of preterm status (≤36 completed gestational weeks, n = 170; term birth 37–42 gestational weeks, n = 3476) with duration of puberty, adjusted for parent's highest education, mother's place of birth, maternal smoking during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and mother's age of menarche. Results The mean duration from thelarche to menarche was 2.53 years. Preterm girls had a shorter duration from thelarche to menarche by 2.6 months, 95% confidence interval 0.5–4.7 months. Age of menarche did not differ by preterm status but preterm girls had later thelarche. Preterm birth was not associated with a shorter duration from pubarche to menarche. Conclusions Preterm births may be associated with shorter duration of puberty from thelarche to menarche, possibly through effects of in utero estrogen exposure, the drivers of thelarche, or the drivers of pubertal duration/progression, with potential implications for subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease and hormonal cancers.

  January 23, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22963   open full text
• The ecology of anemia: Anemia prevalence and correlated factors in adult indigenous women in Argentina.
  Laura G. Goetz, Claudia Valeggia.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 19, 2017
  Objectives The Toba/Qom of Namqom are an indigenous community native to the Gran Chaco region of northern Argentina. Historically seminomadic foragers, the diet of peri‐urban community members has rapidly changed from high‐protein, high‐fiber to hypercaloric, processed. This study aims to understand the impact of this nutritional transition on aspects of women's health by exploring the relationship between prevalence of anemia and current diet composition, place of birth, and reproductive history. Methods We measured the capillary hemoglobin (Hb) levels of 153 adult women. Each participant was also given two interviews characterizing reproductive history and a 24‐hour food recall. Results The average Hb level was 12.6 g/dL (range 5.8–15.7 g/dL). In our sample, 28% of participants were anemic and 31% were borderline anemic. Iron and vitamin C consumption were negatively associated with Hb levels. Body mass index was marginally associated with Hb levels. Being born in a peri‐urban setting, a proxy for early Westernized diet was associated with higher risk of anemia, suggesting developmental experience may play a role. Pregnant and lactating women had lower Hb levels than menstruating and menopausal women. Age, height, parity, and age at first pregnancy were not found to be statistically significant predictors of anemia. Conclusions Iron deficiency represents a serious health concern for women, particularly pregnant ones. Our results suggest that both past and current nutritional ecology variables may be associated with the risk of anemia. These findings inform public health interventions, since reproductive history may be more difficult to modify than current diet.

  January 19, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22947   open full text
• A comparison of skeletal maturity assessed by radiological and ultrasonic methods.
  Katinka Utczas, Agota Muzsnai, Noel Cameron, Annamaria Zsakai, Eva B. Bodzsar.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 17, 2017
  Objectives The estimation of skeletal maturity is a useful tool in pediatric practice to determine the degree of delay or advancement in growth disorders and the effectiveness of treatment in conditions that influence linear growth. Skeletal maturity of children is commonly assessed using either Greulich–Pyle (GP) or Tanner–Whitehouse methods (TW2 and TW3). However, a less invasive ultrasonic method, that does not use ionizing radiation, has been suggested for use in epidemiological studies of skeletal maturity. The main purpose of the present study was to determine the accuracy of an ultrasonic method based on the GP maturity indicators compared to the standard GP radiographic method. Methods Skeletal maturity of 1502 healthy children, aged from 6 to 18 years, was estimated by quantitative ultrasound and compared to GP bone ages estimated from left hand and wrist radiographs of a subsample of 47 randomly selected participants. Results The ultrasonic bone age estimation demonstrated very strong correlations with all the radiological age estimations. The correlation coefficients ranged between 0.895 and 0.958, and the strongest correlation of ultrasonic skeletal maturity estimation was found with the Tanner–Whitehouse RUS method. The ultrasonic bone age estimation is suggested for use between the chronological ages of 8.5–16.0 years in boys and 7.5–15.0 years in girls. Conclusions The ultrasonic bone age estimation is suggested for use in epidemiological surveys since the sensitivity for screening for not normal bone development is appropriate, at least within the 8–15 years age interval.

  January 17, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22966   open full text
• Association of cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity with inflammatory biomarkers in young adults.
  Eunduck Park, Janet C. Meininger, Duck‐Hee Kang, Kelley Pettee Gabriel, Nikhil S. Padhye.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 17, 2017
  Objectives Cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) has been inversely associated with inflammation, but whether the association is attributed to fitness itself or lower levels of adiposity remains uncertain in young adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of fitness and adiposity with inflammation in young adults. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted with 88 participants aged 20–34 years. Fitness was assessed by a submaximal treadmill walking test. Adiposity was assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Inflammation was measured by plasma C‐reactive protein (CRP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) levels using immunoassays. Biological data were log10 transformed. A separate multiple regression analysis was conducted with each inflammatory biomarker as a dependent variable. Covariates (sex, oral contraceptive use, and education level) were adjusted. Results Fitness was inversely associated with log10 CRP after adjustment for covariates but not after adjusting for BMI or WC. Fitness was inversely associated with log10 IL‐6 after adjustment for WC and covariates (β = −0.341, P = .049) but not after adjusting for BMI. Fitness × WC interaction (partial eta2 = 0.056, P = .033) indicated that high fitness was more strongly associated with low log10 IL‐6 in young adults with high WC than those with low WC. Conclusions Although adiposity has a stronger association than fitness with CRP and IL‐6, higher levels of fitness could be essential for maintaining low levels of IL‐6, especially in the presence of high levels of central adiposity.

  January 17, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22959   open full text
• Nutritional, inflammatory, and ecological correlates of maternal retinol allocation to breast milk in agro‐pastoral Ariaal communities of northern Kenya.
  Masako Fujita, Yun‐Jia Lo, Eleanor Brindle.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 17, 2017
  Objectives Vitamin A (VA) is an essential micronutrient required for a range of biological functions throughout life. VA deficiency (VAD) claims an estimated 1 million preschool children's lives annually. Human milk is enriched with VA (retinol) from the maternal blood, which originates from the hepatic reserve and dietary intake. Secreting retinol into milk will benefit the nursing infant through breast milk, but retaining retinol is also important for the maternal health. Previous studies found that the public health intervention of high‐dose VA supplementation to lactating mothers did not significantly lower child mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently acknowledged that our understanding about the principle of VA allocation within the maternal system and the secretion into milk is too incomplete to devise an effective intervention. Methods We present a secondary analysis of data collected among lactating mothers in VAD endemic northern Kenya (n = 171), examining nutritional, inflammatory, and ecological factors that might associate with maternal retinol allocation. Regression models were applied using the outcome milk‐retinol allocation index: milk retinol/(milk retinol + serum retinol). Results Ten percent of the sample was identified as VAD. The average milk retinol concentration was 0.1 μmo/L, grossly below what is considered minimally necessary for an infant (1 μmol/L). VAD mothers and mothers with inflammation did not seem to compromise their milk retinol even though their serum retinol was lower than non‐VAD and noninflammation mothers. Breast milk fat concentration positively correlated with milk retinol but not with serum retinol. Conclusions This exploratory study contributes toward an understanding of maternal retinol allocation.

  January 17, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22961   open full text
• Hay fever, asthma, and eczema and early infectious diseases among children in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
  Katherine Wander, Bettina Shell‐Duncan, Eleanor Brindle, Kathleen O'Connor.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 13, 2017
  Objectives To investigate the hygiene (or “old friends”) hypothesis in a high‐infectious disease (ID) environment, rural Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Methods Among a cross‐sectional sample of 2‐ to 7‐year‐old children, we collected physician‐diagnosed hay fever, asthma, and eczema, history of hospitalization, family size, and household environment information via questionnaire; performed active and passive surveillance for ID; and, evaluated total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and biomarkers of inflammation in dried blood spot specimens. We used regression models to describe patterns in allergic diseases. Results Complete information was available for 280 children: 12.5% had been diagnosed with hay fever; 18.9% with eczema; 2.1% with asthma. There was a positive association between hay fever and eczema diagnoses (π2: 4.07; P = 0.044); total IgE was positively associated with eczema (β: 0.24; P = 0.100) and allergic diseases together (β: 0.26; P = 0.042). ID were common: the incidence of any ID diagnosis was 28 per 100 children per month. Hay fever was inversely associated with household animals (OR: 0.27; P = 0.006), and positively associated with earth housing materials (OR: 1.93; P = 0.079) and hospitalization in infancy with an ID (3.16; P = 0.066); patterns were similar when allergic disease outcomes were considered together. Few associations between these predictors and eczema or asthma alone were apparent. Conclusions Allergic diseases were common among children in Kilimanjaro. The inverse association between household animals and allergy is consistent with the hygiene/old friends hypothesis; however, positive associations between allergic diseases and earth housing materials and early hospitalization with ID bear further explanation.

  January 13, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22957   open full text
• Parent‐offspring conflict over family size in current China.
  Jianghua Liu, Chongli Duan, Virpi Lummaa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 05, 2017
  Objectives In China, the recent replacement of the one‐child policy with a two‐child policy could potentially change family ecology—parents may switch investment from exclusively one child to two. The parent‐offspring conflict theory provides testable hypotheses concerning possible firstborn opposition toward further reproduction of their mother, and who wins the conflict. We tested the hypotheses that if there is any opposition, it will differ between sexes, weaken with offspring age and family resource availability, and affect maternal reproductive decision‐making. Methods Using survey data of 531 non‐pregnant mothers of only one child from Xi'an (China), logistic regression was used to examine effects of age, family income, and sex on the attitudes of firstborn children toward having a sibling; ordinal regression was used to investigate how such attitudes affect maternal intention to reproduce again. Results Firstborns' unsupportive attitude toward their mothers' further reproduction weakened with age and was overall more frequent in low‐income families. Sons' unsupportive tendency displayed a somewhat U‐shaped relationship, whereas daughters' weakened with family income; consequently, sons were more likely than daughters to be unsupportive in high‐income families, suggesting a tendency to be more demanding. Forty‐nine percent of mothers supported by their firstborns intended to reproduce again, whilst only 9% of mothers not supported by firstborns had such an intention. Conclusion Our study contributes to evolutionary literature on parent‐offspring conflict and its influence on female reproductive strategy in modern human societies, and has also important implications for understanding fertility patterns and conducting interventions in family conflict in China.

  January 05, 2017   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22946   open full text
• Early life trauma, post‐traumatic stress disorder, and allostatic load in a sample of American Indian adults.
  Zaneta Thayer, Celestina Barbosa‐Leiker, Michael McDonell, Lonnie Nelson, Dedra Buchwald, Spero Manson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 30, 2016
  Objectives Among American Indians, prior research has found associations between early life trauma and the development of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. Given the physiological changes associated with PTSD, early life trauma could indirectly contribute to chronic disease risk. However, the impact of early life trauma on adult physical health in this population has not been previously investigated. Methods We evaluated associations among early life trauma, PTSD, and 13 physiological biomarkers that index cardiovascular, metabolic, neuroendocrine, anthropometric, and immune function in adulthood by conducting correlation and structural equation modeling path analyses (N = 197). Physiological systems were analyzed individually as well as in a composite measure of allostatic load. Results We found early life trauma was related to PTSD, which in turn was related to elevated allostatic load in adulthood. Among the various components of allostatic load, the neuroendocrine system was the only one significantly related to early life stress and subsequent PTSD development. Conclusions Changes in allostatic load might reflect adaptive adjustments that maximize short‐term survival by enhancing stress reactivity, but at a cost to later health. Interventions should focus on improving access to resources for children who experience early life trauma in order to avoid PTSD and other harmful sequelae.

  November 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22943   open full text
• Live birth sex ratios and father's geographic origins in Jerusalem, 1964–1976.
  J. Groeger, M. Opler, K. Kleinhaus, M. C. Perrin, R. Calderon‐Margalit, O. Manor, O. Paltiel, D. Conley, S. Harlap, D. Malaspina.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 30, 2016
  Objective To examine whether ancestry influenced sex ratios of offspring in a birth cohort before parental antenatal sex selection influenced offspring sex. Methods We measured the sex ratio as the percent of males according to countries of birth of paternal and maternal grandfathers in 91,459 live births from 1964 to 1976 in the Jerusalem Perinatal Study. Confidence limits (CI) were computed based on an expected sex ratio of 1.05, which is 51.4% male. Results Of all live births recorded, 51.4% were male. Relative to Jewish ancestry (51.4% males), significantly more males (1,761) were born to Muslim ancestry (54.5, 95% CI = 52.1–56.8, P = 0.01). Among the former, sex ratios were not significantly associated with paternal or maternal age, education, or offspring's birth order. Consistent with a preference for male offspring, the sex ratio decreased despite increasing numbers of births over the 13‐year period. Sex ratios were not affected by maternal or paternal origins in North Africa or Europe. However, the offspring whose paternal grandfathers were born in Western Asia included fewer males than expected (50.7, 50.1‐51.3, P = 0.02), whether the father was born abroad (50.7) or in Israel (50.8). This was observed for descendents of paternal grandfathers born in Lebanon (47.6), Turkey (49.9), Yemen & Aden (50.2), Iraq (50.5), Afghanistan (50.5), Syria (50.6), and Cyprus (50.7); but not for those from India (51.5) or Iran (51.9). The West Asian group showed the strongest decline in sex ratios with increasing paternal family size. Conclusions A decreased sex ratio associated with ancestry in Western Asia is consistent with reduced ability to bear sons by a subset of Jewish men in the Jerusalem cohort. Lower sex ratios may be because of pregnancy stress, which may be higher in this subgroup. Alternatively, a degrading Y chromosome haplogroup or other genetic or epigenetic differences on male germ lines could affect birth ratios, such as differential exposure to an environmental agent, dietary differences, or stress. Differential stopping behaviors that favor additional pregnancies following the birth of a daughter might exacerbate these lower sex ratios.

  November 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22945   open full text
• Sociodemographic correlates and family aggregation of leukocyte telomere length in adults and children from Mesoamerica.
  Kerry S. Flannagan, Erica C. Jansen, Laura S. Rozek, Katie M. Rentschler, Ana Victoria Roman, Manuel Ramirez‐Zea, Eduardo Villamor,.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 28, 2016
  Objective Telomere length is a biomarker of cumulative stress and inflammation related to chronic disease risk. We examined the associations of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with sociodemographic and anthropometric variables and estimated LTL family aggregation in Central America, a region with a high burden of chronic disease where LTL has not been studied. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 174 school age children and their parents in the capital cities of Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and the city of Tuxtla‐Gutierrez in Mexico. We measured LTL by quantitative PCR in DNA extracted from whole blood. We compared the distribution of LTL by categories of sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics using linear regression. Family aggregation was estimated with correlation coefficients and intraclass correlations. Results In mothers, LTL was inversely associated with age (P, trend < .0001) and positively associated with height (P = .0002). Among fathers, LTL was inversely associated with food insecurity (P, trend = .0004). In children, boys had 0.10 log units shorter LTL than girls (95% CI: −0.17, −0.03; P = .004). LTL was inversely associated with parental education (P, trend = .01) and positively associated with paternal age at birth (P, trend < .0001), maternal LTL (P, trend = .007), and paternal LTL (P, trend = .02). LTL varied significantly by country of origin among all family members. Aggregation was greatest between children and their mothers, and mostly occurred at the country, rather than family, level. Conclusion LTL is associated with age and height in women; food insecurity in men; and sex, parental education, parental LTL, and paternal age at birth among children.

  November 28, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22942   open full text
• The association of low birth weight with serum C reactive protein in 3‐year‐old children living in Cuba: A population‐based prospective study.
  Silvia Josefina Venero‐Fernández, Hermes Fundora‐Hernández, Lourdes Batista‐Gutierrez, Ramón Suárez‐Medina, Esperanza de la C. Mora‐Faife, Gladys García‐García, Ileana del Valle‐Infante, Liem Gómez‐Marrero, John Britton, Andrew W. Fogarty,.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 18, 2016
  Objective Low birthweight is associated with a decreased risk of childhood leukemia and an increased risk of both cardiovascular disease and all‐cause mortality in adult life. Possible biological mediators include systemic innate immunity and inflammation. We tested the hypothesis that birthweight was inversely associated with serum high sensitivity C reactive protein assay (hsCRP), a measure of both innate immunity and systemic inflammation. Methods Data on birthweight and current anthropometric measures along with a range of exposures were collected at 1 and 3 years of age in a population‐based cohort study of young children living in Havana, Cuba. A total of 986 children aged 3‐years‐old provided blood samples that were analyzed for serum hsCRP levels. Results Nearly 49% of children had detectable hsCRP levels in their serum. Lower birthweight was linearly associated with the natural log of hsCRP levels (beta coefficient −0.70 mg L−1 per kg increase in birthweight, 95% CI: −1.34 to −0.06). This was attenuated but still present after adjustment for the child's sex and municipality (−0.65 mg L−1 per kg birthweight; 95% CI: −1.38 to +0.08). There were no associations between growth from birth or anthropometric measures at 3 years and systemic inflammation. Conclusions Birthweight was inversely associated with serum hsCRP levels in children aged 3 years living in Cuba. These observations provide a potential mechanism that is present at the age of 3 years to explain the association between low birthweight and both decreased childhood leukemia and increased cardiovascular disease in adults.

  November 18, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22936   open full text
• Father absence but not fosterage predicts food insecurity, relative poverty, and poor child health in northern Tanzania.
  David W. Lawson, Susan B. Schaffnit, Anushé Hassan, Esther Ngadaya, Bernard Ngowi, Sayoki G. M. Mfinanga, Susan James, Monique Borgerhoff Mulder.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 16, 2016
  Objectives The importance of fathers in ensuring child health in rural developing populations is questioned by anthropologists and population health scientists. Existing literature focuses on paternal death and child mortality. A relative lack of studies consider alternative forms of father absence and/or more subtle health outcomes. Here we determine the frequency and form of father absence in northern Tanzania, and its relationship to household food security, wealth, and child anthropometric status. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of 3136 children under 5 years of age from 56 villages. Using multilevel regression we contrast children residing with both parents to those that (i) have experienced paternal death, (ii) reside with their mother but not their living father and (iii) are fostered apart from both living parents. Results Of the total, 3.5% of children had experienced paternal death. Thirteen percent resided with their mother but away from their living father. Supporting data indicate such cases primarily reflect parental divorce/separation, extra‐marital birth, or polygynous fathers residing with an alternative cowife. Paternal death and residing apart from one's living father was associated with lower food security and/or relative poverty and there is suggestive evidence that children in such circumstances achieve lower height‐for‐age. Six percent of children were fostered, usually with grandparents, and were comparable to children residing with both parents in terms of household food security, wealth, and anthropometric status. Conclusion Our results highlight diversity in the form and consequences of father absence. We discuss limitations of the current study and wider literature on fatherhood and make suggestions for future research.

  November 16, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22938   open full text
• Relationships among fat mass, fat‐free mass and height in adults: A new method of statistical analysis applied to NHANES data.
  Richard F. Burton.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 14, 2016
  Objectives The positive influence of fat mass (FM) on fat‐free mass (FFM) has been quantified previously by various methods involving regression analysis of population data, but some are fundamentally flawed through neglect of the tendency of taller individuals to carry more fat. Differences in FFM due to differences in FM—and not directly related to differences in height—are expressed as ΔFFM/ΔFM, denoted KF. The main aims were to find a sounder regression‐based method of quantifying KF and simultaneously of estimating mean BMI0, the BMI of hypothetical fat‐free individuals. Other, related, objectives were to check the linearity of FFM‐FM relationships and to quantify the correlation between FM and height. Methods New statistical methods, explored and verified by Monte Carlo simulation, were applied to NHANES data. Regression of height2 on FFM and FM produced estimates of mean KF and indirectly of BMI0. Both were then adjusted to allow for variability in KF around its mean. Its standard deviation was estimated by a novel method. Results Relationships between FFM and FM were linear, not semilogarithmic as is sometimes assumed. Mean KF is similar in Mexican American men and women, but higher in men than women in non‐Hispanic European Americans and African Americans. Mean BMI0 is higher in men than in women. FM correlates more strongly with height than has been found previously. Conclusions A more accurate way of quantifying mean BMI0 and the dependence of FFM on FM is established that may be easily applied to new and existing population data.

  November 14, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22941   open full text
• Relationships between digit ratio (2D:4D) and basketball performance in Australian men.
  Nathan A. Frick, Melissa J. Hull, John T. Manning, Grant R. Tomkinson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 06, 2016
  Objective To investigate relationships between the digit ratio (2D:4D) and competitive basketball performance in Australian men. Methods Using an observational cross‐sectional design a total of 221 Australian basketball players who competed in the Olympic Games, International Basketball Federation World Championships/Cup, Australian National Basketball League, Central Australian Basketball League or socially had their 2D:4Ds measured. Analysis of variance was used to assess differences in mean 2D:4Ds between men playing at different competitive standards, with relationships between 2D:4Ds and basketball game‐related statistics assessed using Pearson's product moment correlations in men playing at a single competitive standard. Results There were significant differences between competitive standards for the left 2D:4D following Bonferroni correction, but not for the right 2D:4D, with basketballers who achieved higher competitive standards tending to have lower left 2D:4Ds. No important correlations between 2D:4D and basketball game‐related statistics were found, with correlations typically negligible. Conclusions This study indicated that the 2D:4D can discriminate between basketballers competing at different standards, but not between basketballers within a single competitive standard using objective game‐related statistics.

  November 06, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22937   open full text
• Defying geometric similarity: Shape centralization in male UK offshore workers.
  Arthur D. Stewart, Robert J. Ledingham, Graham Furnace, Hector Williams, Alan M. Nevill.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 01, 2016
  Objectives Applying geometric similarity predictions of body dimensions to specific occupational groups has the potential to reveal useful ergonomic and health implications. This study assessed a representative sample of the male UK offshore workforce, and examined how body dimensions from sites typifying musculoskeletal development or fat accumulation, differed from predicted values. Methods A cross sectional sample was obtained across seven weight categories using quota sampling, to match the wider workforce. In total, 588 UK offshore workers, 84 from each of seven weight categories, were measured for stature, mass and underwent 3D body scans which yielded 22 dimensional measurements. Each measurement was modeled using a body‐mass power law (adjusting for age), to derive its exponent, which was compared against that predicted from geometric similarity. Results Mass scaled to stature 1.73 (CI: 1.44–2.02). Arm and leg volume increased by mass0.8, and torso volume increased by mass1.1 in contrast to mass 1.0 predicted by geometric similarity. Neck girth increased by mass 0.33 as expected, while torso girth and depth dimensions increased by mass0.53–0.72, all substantially greater than assumed by geometric similarity. Conclusions After controlling for age, offshore workers experience spectacular “super‐centralization” of body shape, with greatest gains in abdominal depth and girth dimensions in areas of fat accumulation, and relative dimensional loss in limbs. These findings are consistent with the antecedents of sarcopenic obesity, and should be flagged as a health concern for this workforce, and for future targeted research and lifestyle interventions.

  November 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22935   open full text
• The allele frequency of ALDH2*Glu504Lys and ADH1B*Arg47His for the Ryukyu islanders and their history of expansion among East Asians.
  Kae Koganebuchi, Kuniaki Haneji, Takashi Toma, Keiichiro Joh, Hidenobu Soejima, Kazuma Fujimoto, Hajime Ishida, Motoyuki Ogawa, Tsunehiko Hanihara, Shoji Harada, Shoji Kawamura, Hiroki Oota.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 01, 2016
  Objectives A cline of frequencies of the derived allele of the ALDH2 gene, which causes a deficiency of an enzyme and “facial flushing” in humans who drink alcohol, has been known among the people of the Japanese archipelago. This cline is conventionally explained by admixture with immigrants from the Asian continent occurring during the Yayoi period. Previous studies lack sufficient data from the peripheral regions of the indigenous Jomon people, and those data the ADH1B gene that is involved in the Class I ADH gene cluster and contains another variant leading to a functional change. Methods We focused on the southwestern‐most people from the Ryukyu Islands (n = 218) and those from northern Kyushu (n = 21) where the Yayoi immigrants likely arrived. We investigated both the Class I ADH and ALDH2 loci, as well as neutral genetic markers. Results In the Ryukyu Islands, the frequencies of the ancestral alleles in both loci were always higher than those in mainland Japan, while the frequencies of ADH1B were less than those of the derived allele. A haplotype block was not observed in ALDH2 but was in Class I ADH. Discussion Our data suggest that the derived allele of ALDH2 came with the Yayoi immigrants from the Asian continent to the Japanese archipelago. However, the derived allele of ADH1B is unlikely to be related to the Yayoi migration. Therefore, we postulate that the expansion of the derived allele of ADHIB in East Asia could be traced back to the last glacial period.

  November 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22933   open full text
• Utility of three anthropometric indices in assessing the cardiometabolic risk profile in children.
  Duncan S. Buchan, Lynne M. Boddy, Fergal M. Grace, Elise Brown, Nicholas Sculthorpe, Conor Cunningham, Marie H. Murphy, Rebecca Dagger, Lawrence Foweather, Lee E. F. Graves, Nicola D. Hopkins, Gareth Stratton, Julien S. Baker.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 01, 2016
  Objectives To evaluate the ability of BMI, WC, and WHtR to identify increased cardiometabolic risk in pre‐adolescents. Methods This is a cross‐sectional study involving 192 children (10.92 ± 0.58 years, 56% female) from the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2013. Receiver operating characteristic curves determined the discriminatory ability of BMI, WC and WHtR to identify individuals with increased cardiometabolic risk (increased clustered triglycerides, HDL‐cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness, and glucose). Results A WHtR ≥ 0.5 increased the odds by 5.2 (95% confidence interval 2.6 ‐ 10.3) of having increased cardiometabolic risk. Similar associations were observed for BMI and WC. Both BMI‐z and WHtR were fair predictors of increased cardiometabolic risk, although BMI‐z demonstrated the best trade‐off between sensitivity and specificity, 76.1% and 63.6%, compared with 68.1% and 65.5% for WHtR. Cross‐validation analysis revealed that BMI‐z and WHtR correctly classified 84% of individuals (kappa score = 0.671, 95% CI 0.55, 0.79). The sensitivity of the cut‐points suggests that 89.3% of individuals were correctly classified as being at risk with only 10.7% misdiagnosed whereas the specificity of the cut‐points indicated that 77.8% of individuals were correctly identified as being healthy with 22.2% of individuals incorrectly diagnosed as being at risk. Conclusions Findings suggest that WHtR provides similar cardiometabolic risk estimates to age and sex adjusted BMI.

  November 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22934   open full text
• UV‐associated decline in systemic folate: implications for human nutrigenetics, health, and evolutionary processes.
  Mark Lucock, Emma Beckett, Charlotte Martin, Patrice Jones, John Furst, Zoe Yates, Nina G. Jablonski, George Chaplin, Martin Veysey.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 22, 2016
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine whether UV exposure alters folate status according to C677T‐MTHFR genotype, and to consider the relevance of this to human health and the evolutionary model of skin pigmentation. Methods Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) satellite data were used to examine surface UV‐irradiance, as a marker of UV exposure, in a large (n = 649) Australian cross‐sectional study population. PCR/RFLP analysis was used to genotype C677T‐MTHFR. Results Overall, cumulative UV‐irradiance (42 and 120 days pre‐clinic) was significantly negatively related to red cell folate (RCF) levels. When the cohort was stratified by MTHFR‐C677T genotype, the relationship between UV‐irradiance (42 days pre‐clinic) and RCF remained significant only in the cohorts containing carriers of the T allele. Statistically significant z‐score statistics and interaction terms from genotype and UV‐irradiance (p‐interaction) demonstrated that genotype did modify the effect of UV‐irradiance on RCF, with the largest effect of UV being demonstrated in the 677TT‐MTHFR subjects. Conclusions Data provide strong evidence that surface UV‐irradiance reduces long‐term systemic folate levels, and that this is influenced by the C677T‐MTHFR gene variant. We speculate this effect may be due to 677TT‐MTHFR individuals containing more 5,10CH2‐H4PteGlu, and that this folate form may be particularly UV labile. Since UV‐irradiance lowers RCF in an MTHFR genotype‐specific way, there are likely implications for human health and the evolution of skin pigmentation.

  October 22, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22929   open full text
• Inferring paternal history of rural African‐derived Brazilian populations from Y chromosomes.
  Lilian Kimura, Kelly Nunes, Lúcia Inês Macedo‐Souza, Jorge Rocha, Diogo Meyer, Regina Célia Mingroni‐Netto.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 20, 2016
  Objectives Quilombo remnants are relics of communities founded by runaway or abandoned African slaves, but often with subsequent extensive and complex admixture patterns with European and Native Americans. We combine a genetic study of Y‐chromosome markers with anthropological surveys in order to obtain a portrait of quilombo structure and history in the region that has the largest number of quilombo remnants in the state of São Paulo. Methods Samples from 289 individuals from quilombo remnants were genotyped using a set of 17 microsatellites on the Y chromosome (AmpFlSTR‐Yfiler). A subset of 82 samples was also genotyped using SNPs array (Axiom Human Origins—Affymetrix). We estimated haplotype and haplogroup frequencies, haplotype diversity and sharing, and pairwise genetic distances through FST and RST indexes. Results We identified 95 Y chromosome haplotypes, classified into 15 haplogroups. About 63% are European, 32% are African, and 6% Native American. The most common were: R1b (European, 34.2%), E1b1a (African, 32.3%), J1 (European, 6.9%), and Q (Native American, 6.2%). Genetic differentiation among communities was low (FST = 0.0171; RST = 0.0161), and haplotype sharing was extensive. Genetic, genealogical and oral surveys allowed us to detect five main founder haplotypes, which explained a total of 27.7% of the Y chromosome lineages. Conclusions Our results showed a high European patrilineal genetic contribution among the founders of quilombos, high amounts of gene flow, and a recent common origin of these populations. Common haplotypes and genealogical data indicate the origin of quilombos from a few male individuals. Our study reinforces the importance of a dual approach, involving the analysis of both anthropological and genetic data.

  October 20, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22930   open full text
• Ownership of consumer electronics is associated with measures of adiposity during health transition in Vanuatu.
  Cheng Sun, Alysa Pomer, Kelsey N. Dancause, Chim W. Chan, Kathryn M. Olszowy, Harold Silverman, Gwang Lee, Len Tarivonda, George Taleo, Ralph Regenvanu, Akira Kaneko, Charles A. Weitz, Ralph M. Garruto, J. Koji Lum.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 15, 2016
  Objective The Republic of Vanuatu, like many developing nations, is undergoing a rapid health transition. Our previous study identified several behavioral risk factors for the rising prevalence of obesity. Unexpectedly, daily time spent using television and radio was revealed as a protective factor for obesity in 2007. In this study, we sought to explore associations between ownership of consumer electronics (CE) and measures of adiposity in Vanuatu in 2011. Methods We surveyed 873 adults from five islands varying in level of economic development. Height, weight, and waist circumferences; triceps, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfolds; and percent body fat by bioelectrical impedance were measured. Ownership of eight types of CE, diet through 24‐h dietary recall and leisure‐time activity patterns were assessed using a questionnaire. Results Participants from more developed islands owned more types of CE, and revealed higher measures of adiposity on average as well as higher prevalence of obesity/central obesity. When controlling for demographic factors, and dietary and activity patterns, increased measures of adiposity and risk for obesity/central obesity were associated with ownership of cellphones, music players, televisions, video players, microwaves, and/or refrigerators. Positive correlations between CE ownership and measures of adiposity were mainly observed among men on the two most developed islands. Conclusions The results of this study indicate a possible role of CE use in the rising prevalence of obesity and the shift to a sedentary lifestyle in Vanuatu and many other modernizing regions, where prevention efforts including education on healthy use of CE are imperative.

  October 15, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22928   open full text
• Physical activity patterns and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in hunter‐gatherers.
  David A. Raichlen, Herman Pontzer, Jacob A. Harris, Audax Z. P. Mabulla, Frank W. Marlowe, J. Josh Snodgrass, Geeta Eick, J. Colette Berbesque, Amelia Sancilio, Brian M. Wood.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 09, 2016
  Objectives Time spent in moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular health, yet few humans living in industrialized societies meet current recommendations (150 min/week). Researchers have long suggested that human physiological requirements for aerobic exercise reflect an evolutionary shift to a hunting and gathering foraging strategy, and a recent transition to more sedentary lifestyles likely represents a mismatch with our past in terms of physical activity. The goal of this study is to explore this mismatch by characterizing MVPA and cardiovascular health in the Hadza, a modern hunting and gathering population living in Northern Tanzania. Methods We measured MVPA using continuous heart rate monitoring in 46 participants recruited from two Hadza camps. As part of a larger survey of health in the Hadza, we measured blood pressure (n = 198) and biomarkers of cardiovascular health (n = 23) including C‐reactive protein, cholesterol (Total, HDL, and LDL), and triglycerides. Results We show that Hadza participants spend large amounts of time in MVPA (134.92 ± 8.6 min/day), and maintain these activity levels across the lifespan. In fact, the Hadza engage in over 14 times as much MVPA as subjects participating in large epidemiological studies in the United States. We found no evidence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in this population (low prevalence of hypertension across the lifespan, optimal levels for biomarkers of cardiovascular health). Conclusions Our results provide evidence that the hunting and gathering foraging strategy involves high levels of MVPA, supporting the evolutionary medicine model for the relationship between MVPA and cardiovascular health.

  October 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22919   open full text
• Directional and fluctuating asymmetry among !Kung San and Kavango people of Northern Namibia: The impact of sex and subsistence patterns.
  Sylvia Kirchengast.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 04, 2016
  Objectives The impact of sex and subsistence on fluctuating and directional asymmetry patterns was tested among !Kung San and Kavango people from northern Namibia. Methods Fluctuating and directional asymmetry from 6 paired traits were measured in a sample of 236 !Kung San and 248 Kavango people aged 18 to 65 years in the Kavango district and the Nyae‐Nyae area of northern Namibia. Signed asymmetry, absolute and relative asymmetry, as well as composite fluctuating and directional asymmetry, were calculated. Results Males of both ethnic groups exhibited higher fluctuating asymmetry in comparison to their female counterparts. Marked differences in directional asymmetry of the upper extremities were found between !Kung San and Kavango people. The !Kung San people showed a significantly higher directional asymmetry than the Kavango people. Conclusions Foraging subsistence increased directional asymmetry of the upper extremities among males as well as females. In contrast, higher fluctuating asymmetry—indicating a higher degree of developmental instability—was found among males independent of subsistence group.

  October 04, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22921   open full text
• Childhood body mass is positively associated with cesarean birth in Yucatec Maya subsistence farmers.
  Amanda Veile, Karen L. Kramer.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 04, 2016
  Objective The epidemiologic link between cesarean birth and childhood obesity is unresolved, partly because most studies come from industrialized settings where many post‐birth factors affect the risk for obesity. We take advantage of an unusual ethnographic situation where hospital and cesarean birth modes have recently been introduced among Yucatec Maya subsistence farmers, but young children have had minimal exposure to the nutritional transition. While we expect to find very low rates of childhood obesity, we predict that cesarean‐born children will be larger and heavier than vaginally born children. Methods Weight and height were collected monthly on 108 children aged 0–5 (3576 observations total). Birth mode and birthweight were collected by maternal interview. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models that compare child growth [Maya population‐specific Z‐scores for weight‐for‐age and body mass index‐for‐age (WAZ and BMIZ)] in cesarean and vaginally born children aged 0–5 years. Results The cesarean rate was 20%, no children were obese, and 5% were overweight. Cesarean birth was a significant predictor of child WAZ and BMIZ after accounting for maternal effects, child birthweight, and sex. Children who were born by cesarean to mothers with high BMI had the highest WAZ of all children by 5 years of age, and the highest BMIZ of all children at all ages. Conclusion Cesarean‐born Maya children had higher BMI than vaginally born children, even in the absence of many known confounding factors that contribute to childhood obesity. Child growth was most sensitive to birth mode when mothers had high BMI.

  October 04, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22920   open full text
• Ontogeny of modern human longitudinal body and transverse shoulder proportions.
  Mélanie A. Frelat, Michael Coquerelle, Erik Trinkaus.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 26, 2016
  Objectives Whereas variation of modern human adult body size and shape has been widely studied in the context of ecogeographical clines, little is known about the differential growth patterns of transverse and longitudinal dimensions among human populations. Our study explored the ontogenetic variation of those body proportions in modern humans. Methods We compared results from four different approaches to study cross‐sectional skeletal samples of Africans (n = 43), Amerindians (n = 69) and Europeans (n = 40) from 0 to 14 years of age. Clavicle, humerus, and femur intermetaphyseal lengths, and femoral distal metaphyseal breadth, were measured. Average ontogenetic trajectories were computed in order to compare the growth patterns of the three groups. Results Our findings demonstrated that the three geographical groups shared similar absolute and relative patterns of change with age for the four dimensions considered. Although interpopulation differences existed in transverse to longitudinal as well as in interlimb proportions, those differences did not seem to remain constant throughout ontogeny, similar to what has been shown for intralimb proportions. Growth rates of transverse shoulder proportions differed between populations from different regions after 10 years, whereas those for longitudinal proportions were very similar. Conclusions The ontogeny of transverse shoulder proportions is more complex than what is observed for bi‐iliac breadth, suggesting that transverse shoulder to limb proportions are not solely influenced by ecogeographical conditions. Our analysis demonstrates that methodologies that incorporate critical dimensions of body form could shed new light on human adaptation in both paleontological and neontological contexts.

  September 26, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22925   open full text
• A multianalytical approach to evaluate the association of 55 SNPs in 28 genes with obesity risk in North Indian adults.
  Apurva Srivastava, Balraj Mittal, Jai Prakash, Pranjal Srivastava, Nimisha Srivastava, Neena Srivastava.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 21, 2016
  Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the association of 55 SNPs in 28 genes with obesity risk in a North Indian population using a multianalytical approach. Methods Overall, 480 subjects from the North Indian population were studied using strict inclusion/exclusion criteria. SNP Genotyping was carried out by Sequenom Mass ARRAY platform (Sequenom, San Diego, CA) and validated Taqman® allelic discrimination (Applied Biosystems®). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software version 19.0, SNPStats, GMDR software (version 6) and GENEMANIA. Results Logistic regression analysis of 55 SNPs revealed significant associations (P < .05) of 49 SNPs with BMI linked obesity risk whereas the remaining 6 SNPs revealed no association (P > .05). The pathway‐wise G‐score revealed the significant role (P = .0001) of food intake‐energy expenditure pathway genes. In CART analysis, the combined genotypes of FTO rs9939609 and TCF7L2 rs7903146 revealed the highest risk for BMI linked obesity. The analysis of the FTO‐IRX3 locus revealed high LD and high order gene‐gene interactions for BMI linked obesity. The interaction network of all of the associated genes in the present study generated by GENEMANIA revealed direct and indirect connections. In addition, the analysis with centralized obesity revealed that none of the SNPs except for FTO rs17818902 were significantly associated (P < .05). Conclusions In this multi‐analytical approach, FTO rs9939609 and IRX3 rs3751723, along with TCF7L2 rs7903146 and TMEM18 rs6548238, emerged as the major SNPs contributing to BMI linked obesity risk in the North Indian population.

  September 21, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22923   open full text
• Assortative mating for human height: A meta‐analysis.
  Gert Stulp, Mirre J.P. Simons, Sara Grasman, Thomas V. Pollet.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 17, 2016
  Objectives The study of assortative mating for height has a rich history in human biology. Although the positive correlation between the stature of spouses has often been noted in western populations, recent papers suggest that mating patterns for stature are not universal. The objective of this paper was to review the published evidence to examine the strength of and universality in assortative mating for height. Methods We conducted an extensive literature review and meta‐analysis. We started with published reviews but also searched through secondary databases. Our search led to 154 correlations of height between partners. We classified the populations as western and non‐western based on geography. These correlations were then analyzed via meta‐analytic techniques. Results 148 of the correlations for partner heights were positive and the overall analysis indicates moderate positive assortative mating (r = .23). Although assortative mating was slightly stronger in countries that can be described as western compared to non‐western, this difference was not statistically significant. We found no evidence for a change in assortative mating for height over time. There was substantial residual heterogeneity in effect sizes and this heterogeneity was most pronounced in western countries. Conclusions Positive assortative mating for height exists in human populations, but is modest in magnitude suggesting that height is not a major factor in mate choice. Future research is necessary to understand the underlying causes of the large amount of heterogeneity observed in the degree of assortative mating across human populations, which may stem from a combination of methodological and ecological differences.

  September 17, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22917   open full text
• Grip strength and body composition in Turkana pastoralist children and adolescents.
  Michael A. Little.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 17, 2016
  Objectives In an earlier study, age changes and sex differences in grip strength were documented for adult Turkana pastoralists of Kenya (Little and Johnson, 1986). The objective here is to characterize age changes and sex differences in grip strength of Turkana children and adolescents in the context of arm lean tissue composition, and in comparison with other African, African‐American, and non‐Western populations. Methods Anthropometric measurements, derived body composition values, and grip strength measures (maximum voluntary contraction) were taken on a sample of 232 nomadic Turkana pastoralist children (94 boys and 138 girls) aged 3 to 21 years. Relationships were tested between grip strength (in Newtons) and mid‐upper arm (brachium) lean tissue cross‐sectional areas. Comparisons were made among several different ethnic groups. Results Turkana children and adolescents had low arm muscle (derived lean tissue) and grip strength values when compared with U.S. NHANES percentile references. Girls' percentile rankings were greater than boys' percentile rankings for muscle and for grip strength. Both boys and girls were intermediate when compared with other non‐Western populations and U.S. strength grip reference values. Correlations between grip strength and arm lean tissue areas were highly significant for both boys and girls. Conclusions The greater relative muscle size and grip strength values of late adolescent girls compared to boys is consistent with an earlier study of adults. The difference is likely to result from greater physical subsistence activity and greater access to food in girls than in boys. Several suggestions are given to explain why Turkana youths have relatively small muscle sizes.

  September 17, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22922   open full text
• Intergenerational changes in chest size and proportions in children and adolescents aged 3–18 from Kraków (Poland), within the last 70 years.
  Łukasz Kryst, Agnieszka Woronkowicz, Małgorzata Kowal, Jan Sobiecki.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 17, 2016
  Objectives The size and proportions of the human body change continuously in response to social change and economic development. As reported by papers on intergenerational changes in chest size, this part of the human body is also influenced by environmental factors. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the dimensions and proportions of the chest of children and adolescents over a span of 70 years. Methods In 2010 an anthropological study was conducted on 3878 children and adolescents aged 3–18 years living in Kraków (Poland). Data on chest dimensions (breadth, depth, circumference, chest index) were compared to data from 1938 (3719 children) and 1983 (6464 children). Results In boys, chests became increasingly deep; in boys 18 years of age, the chest index increased by 4.8 units, unlike girls, whose chests markedly flattened. The chest index in girls 18 years of age decreased by 4.2 units. In almost all age categories these differences were statistically significant. Also, in all age categories, children studied in 2010 had a significantly bigger chest circumference than boys and girls surveyed in 1983, respectively, by averages of 3.6 cm and 3 cm. Conclusions The main reason for these changes may be the socio‐economic transformation, which has been especially strong in recent decades. These results may have practical importance in many areas of knowledge, including medicine, nutritional science, and sports. They can also be important for informing preventive measures that should be taken in order to increase the physical activity of children and youth, especially boys.

  September 17, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22918   open full text
• Household resources and seasonal patterns of child growth in rural Timor‐Leste.
  Phoebe R. Spencer, Katherine A. Sanders, Pedro Canisio Amaral, Debra S. Judge.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 01, 2016
  Objectives This study aimed to determine through detailed contextual investigation the effects of seasonal resource shortages, and household and individual level differences, on child growth in rural Timor‐Leste. We compared trends in growth across two rural Timorese villages with different ecologies. Methods Heads of 104 households in Natarbora, Timor‐Leste, were interviewed and resource levels assessed during the food shortage season. In these households, 337 children were measured for height, weight, and mid‐upper arm circumference. World Health Organization standardized measures were calculated and compared with dry season measurements. Using hierarchical linear models, child growth was related to household resource levels. Results were then compared to data from rural mountainous Ossu, Timor‐Leste. Results z BMI declined over the wet season when food resources were scarce compared with the dry season (P < .001). Both age and sex were strong predictors of child growth, with older children having worse z height‐for‐age (P = .001) and z weight‐for‐age (P < .001) and boys shorter for age than girls (P = .049). Children were taller in households with modern flushable toilets (P = .005). Agricultural strategies such as crop diversity and land cultivation were linked to child growth. Results parallel findings from Ossu on the effects of season, child age and sex, but not household level socioeconomic differences. Conclusions Results highlight the importance of subsistence‐based resource stabilization and of early intervention to prevent growth faltering. Predicting growth using ecological models requires small‐scale investigation, as variation exists among rural areas within an ecologically and culturally diverse country.

  September 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22916   open full text
• Mean telomere length is not associated with current health status in a 50‐year‐old population sample.
  Sarah Appleby, John F. Pearson, Alan Aitchison, Janet K. Spittlehouse, Peter R. Joyce, Martin A. Kennedy.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 26, 2016
  Objectives Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes that cap the ends of linear chromosomes. Telomeric DNA decreases with age and shows considerable heterogeneity in the wider population. There is interest in the application of telomere length measures as a biomarker of general health or “biological age,” and the possibility of using mean telomere length to gauge individual disease risk, and to promote lifestyle changes to improve health. This study examined the effectiveness of telomere length as a biomarker for an individual's current overall health status by assessing several measures of general health including SF‐36v2 score, current smoking status and a comprehensive obesity phenotype. Methods Participants were from the Canterbury Health, Ageing and Lifecourse (CHALICE) cohort, a New Zealand population based multidisciplinary study of aging. Telomere length measurements were obtained on DNA from peripheral blood samples at age 49–51 (n = 351), using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. Results No associations were found between telomere length measured at age 49–51 and any measures of current health status. The only significant association observed was between telomere length and gender, with females having longer telomere length than men. Conclusions Our results suggest that telomere length measurements are unlikely to provide information of much predictive significance for an individual's health status.

  August 26, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22906   open full text
• Infant lower extremity long bone growth rates: comparison of contemporary with early 20th century data using mixed effect models.
  Andy Tsai, Catherine Stamoulis, Ignasi Barber, Paul K. Kleinman.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 26, 2016
  Objectives Modern reference standards for long bone growth are lacking for infants (≤1 year). This study develops a quantitative framework to characterize lower extremity bone shaft growth during infancy based on radiographic images, and compares it to data from the 1930s. Methods Femoral, tibial, and fibular shaft length measurements (diaphysis plus metaphysis) were collected retrospectively from 70 infants on initial and follow‐up skeletal surveys performed for suspected abuse (7/2005—2/2013). These serial skeletal survey data (SSSD) were compared to the Denver Child Research Council data (DCRCD), a 1930's longitudinal dataset from 80 infants. Mixed effects regression models were developed to estimate growth trajectories from these data. Growth trajectories and short‐term (≤2 months) growth rates were compared. Results Statistically distinct models described the contemporary (SSSD) and historic (DCRCD) datasets; however, there was substantial overlap (77—90%) between their confidence bands for the three measured bones. Based on developed models, the average long bone shafts of the DCRCD are shorter at birth than SSSD (femur: 77.0 vs. 82.3 mm; tibia: 64.4 vs. 68.2 mm; fibula: 61.0 vs. 64.4 mm), but the DCRCD long bone growth rates are faster than SSSD (femur: 0.21 vs. 0.17 mm/day; tibia: 0.16 vs. 0.14 mm/day; fibula: 0.15 vs. 0.14 mm/day). Short‐term growth rates of these bones decreased with age. The effect of sexual dimorphism on long bone growth during infancy was non‐significant. Conclusion This study provides reference standards for long bone growth rates during the dynamic period of infancy that may aid clinical assessment, and also inform research studies of disorders associated with altered skeletal growth.

  August 26, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22905   open full text
• Minimal energetic expenditure of women walking burdened on gradients in urban environments.
  Megan J. Rue, Patricia A. Kramer.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 26, 2016
  Objectives The objective is to understand the walking energy expenditure of women in urban environments (i.e., over‐ground), using mass, velocity, gradient (incline and decline), and burden as predictors. In addition, we use an equation to determine the gradient associated with the minimum energy expenditure of walking. Methods To do this, we assessed the volumetric consumption of oxygen (VO2) of ten females (ages: 22–40 years) with a portable Cosmed K4b2 device. Participants walked at three self‐selected, over‐ground velocities (slow, normal, and fast) on five gradients (0%, +/−7.5%, +/− 12.4%) in different urban community settings burdened (10 kg) and unburdened. We performed a multilinear regression controlling for repeated measures to determine the best predictive equation for VO2. The first derivative of our equation was used to find the gradient for minimal VO2. Results Our equation explains 79% of the variation in VO2 and indicates that over‐ground walking is similar to treadmill walking, except that the gradient associated with the minimal energy expenditure of walking is steeper (−11% to −20%) than that established from treadmill walking. Conclusions Although our overall equation is an accurate predictor of VO2 for all velocities, burden, incline, and decline in this group, further research needs to be conducted to examine kinetic, kinematic, and velocity interactions in over‐ground walking.

  August 26, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22907   open full text
• Active and strong: physical activity, muscular strength, and metabolic risk in children.
  Thayse Natacha Gomes, Fernanda Karina dos Santos, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, José Maia.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 22, 2016
  Objectives This study explored the associations among physical activity, muscular strength, and metabolic risk among children. Methods The sample included 378 Portuguese children (213 girls; 9–11 years). Moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity was assessed by accelerometry and children were classified as active (≥60 min/day) or insufficiently active (<60 min/day). Static strength was expressed as the ratio of handgrip strength/body weight and used to classify children as having high (≥P50) or low (

  August 22, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22904   open full text
• Associations between body composition, nutrition, and physical activity in young adults.
  María Correa‐Rodríguez, Blanca Rueda‐Medina, Emilio González‐Jiménez, Jacqueline Schmidt‐RioValle.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 10, 2016
  Objective The aim of the present study is to investigate the associations between total energy, macronutrient intakes, and physical activity (PA) and body composition by assessing body fat mass, fat‐free mass, and BMI in a population of young adults. Methods The study population consisted of 605 young Spanish adults (median age 20.38 ± 2.67). Body composition, including fat mass and fat‐free mass, was calculated with body composition analyzer. Daily energy and macronutrient intakes were measured using a 72‐h recall method. The International PA Questionnaire was used to assess PA and sedentary time. Linear regression analyses were performed to test the possible associations between nutrition, PA factors, and body composition. Results Linear regression analyses revealed that BMI has a significant positive association with protein intake (P = .004, B = 0.088, 95% CI 0.028–0.149) and an inverse association with carbohydrate intake (P = 0.034, B = −0.027, 95% CI −0.053 – −0.002). Protein intake also demonstrated a significant association with fat‐free mass, but the size of the effect was smaller (P = .027, B = 96.965, 95% CI 11.250–182.679). There was evidence of a positive association between total PA and moderate‐to‐vigorous PA (P < .001, B = 15.630, 95% CI 6.989 −24.270) and fat‐free mass (P < .001, B = 20.208, 95% CI 9.694 −30.723). When fat mass was used as the outcome variable, there was no evidence of any association with the PA, total energy, and macronutrient intakes variables analyzed. Conclusions Our findings suggest that PA variables were consistently associated with body composition, specifically fat‐free mass. Dietary factors also have influence over body composition; we showed that protein intake is significantly associated with fat‐free mass and BMI.

  August 10, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22903   open full text
• Validity of body adiposity index in predicting body fat in Brazilians adults.
  Wellington Segheto, France Araújo Coelho, Danielle Cristina Guimarães da Silva, Pedro Curi Hallal, João Carlos Bouzas Marins, Andreia Queiroz Ribeiro, Milene Cristine Pessoa, Sílvia Helena O. Morais, Giana Zarbato Longo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 09, 2016
  Objectives The aim of this study was to compare various methods of assessing body compositions with body adiposity index (BAI) and to identify the validity of BAI as a predictor of body fat in Brazilian adults. Methods This study included 706 individuals (average age 37.3 years, SD = 12.1). Anthropometric data included percent body fat obtained by skinfold thicknesses, bioelectrical impedance analysis and DXA. Body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio, and BAI were calculated. The correlation between variables was assessed by Pearson's correlation coefficient, and the Bland–Altman and Kaplan Meier graphic approaches were used to verify the agreement between BAI and DXA. Results There was a strong correlation between BAI and BMI (r = 0.84 in men and r = 0.86 in women, P < .001), waist circumference (r = 0.77 in men and r = 0.75 in women, P < .001) percent fat by skinfold thicknesses (r = 0.71 in men and r = 0.71 in women, P < .001) and by DXA (r = 0.72 in men and r = 0.78 in women, P < .001). The Bland–Altman approach showed an overestimation of BAI in males and an underestimation in women using DXA as the reference method. The agreement between BAI and DXA through the Kaplan‐Meier analysis was 41%. Conclusions It was found that BAI does not replace other measurements of body fat, but compared with more complex methods can be an alternative for estimating the body fat in the absence of these methods.

  August 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22901   open full text
• Normative reference values for the 20 m shuttle‐run test in a population‐based sample of school‐aged youth in Bogota, Colombia: the FUPRECOL study.
  Robinson Ramírez‐Vélez, Adalberto Palacios‐López, Daniel Humberto Prieto‐Benavides, Jorge Enrique Correa‐Bautista, Mikel Izquierdo, Alicia Alonso‐Martínez, Felipe Lobelo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 08, 2016
  Objectives Our aim was to determine the normative reference values of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and to establish the proportion of subjects with low CRF suggestive of future cardio‐metabolic risk. Methods A total of 7244 children and adolescents attending public schools in Bogota, Colombia (55.7% girls; age range of 9–17.9 years) participated in this study. We expressed CRF performance as the nearest stage (minute) completed and the estimated peak oxygen consumption (V˙O2peak). Smoothed percentile curves were calculated. In addition, we present the prevalence of low CRF after applying a correction factor to account for the impact of Bogota's altitude (2625 m over sea level) on CRF assessment, and we calculated the number of participants who fell below health‐related FITNESSGRAM cut‐points for low CRF. Results Shuttles and V˙O2peak were higher in boys than in girls in all age groups. In boys, there were higher levels of performance with increasing age, with most gains between the ages of 13 and 17. The proportion of subjects with a low CRF, suggestive of future cardio‐metabolic risk (health risk FITNESSGRAM category) was 31.5% (28.2% for boys and 34.1% for girls; X2 P = .001). After applying a 1.11 altitude correction factor, the overall prevalence of low CRF was 11.5% (9.6% for boys and 13.1% for girls; X2 P = .001). Conclusions Our results provide sex‐ and age‐specific normative reference standards for the 20 m shuttle‐run test and estimated V˙O2peak values in a large, population‐based sample of schoolchildren from a large Latin‐American city at high altitude.

  August 08, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22902   open full text
• Analysis of cytokine gene polymorphisms in Mestizo and native populations from Mexico.
  Francisco Mendoza‐Carrera, Xochitl Helga Castro‐Martínez, Caridad Leal, Eliseo Portilla‐de Buen, José Sánchez‐Corona, Silvia Esperanza Flores‐Martínez, Alejandra García‐Zapién, Guadalupe Ramírez‐López, Irene Gómez‐Espinel, Blanca Guadalupe Báez‐Duarte, Irma Zamora‐Ginez, Jesús Salvador Velarde‐Félix, Jorge Guillermo Sánchez‐Zazueta.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 02, 2016
  Objectives To determine whether the well‐known genetic structure of the Mexican population observed with other multiallelic markers can be detected by analyzing functional polymorphisms of cytokine and other inflammatory‐response‐related genes. Methods A total of 834 Mestizo individuals from five Mexican cities and 92 Lacandonians – an Amerindian group from southeastern Mexico – were genotyped for 14 polymorphisms in the CRP, IL10, IL6, TGFB1, TNFA, LTA, ICAM1 IFNG, and IL1RN genes. Allele and haplotype frequencies were used for genetic structure analysis using F–statistics pairwise distances and multidimensional scaling plot. Ancestry analysis was performed, as well. Results Significant interpopulational differences at the allele and haplotype frequency level were observed, mainly between Northern (Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Culiacan) and Southern (Tierra Blanca and Puebla) Mexican populations. Also, low but significant substructure was detected between some populations from these two broad regions. Interestingly, both Lacandonian populations were highly differentiated from each other and with respect to Mestizos. Consistent with previous data, Amerindian ancestry in the Southern Mexican groups was higher compared to Northern ones. Conclusions The Mexican population exhibits regional differences in functional polymorphisms of inflammatory‐response genes, as observed for other genetic markers. This information constitutes a reference for epidemiological studies that include these genetic markers to assess the susceptibility of the Mexican population to several immune‐response‐related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and renal disease, which have been shown to be common in the Mexican population but with prevalence differences within this country.

  August 02, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22900   open full text
• Biocultural research in global mental health: mapping idioms of distress onto blood pressure in a population survey.
  Amelia Sancilio, Mark Eggerman, Catherine Panter‐Brick.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 20, 2016
  Objectives Biocultural research remains a challenge in the field of global mental health. We sought to test associations between blood pressure and idioms of distress in a population survey. Methods We drew on a randomly selected sample of 991 adults (498 men, 493 women) in Afghanistan, for whom physiological and psychosocial data were systematically collected. Assessment of mental health (Self‐Reported Questionnaire, Afghan Symptom Checklist) included conceptualizations of distress related to pressure (fishar), anxiety, and dysphoria, as well as dimensions of negative affect and aggression. We used principal component analysis to map survey responses to fishar, and multiple regressions to examine associations with systolic/diastolic blood pressure, controlling for age, body mass index, and wealth, and differentiating by gender, mental health, and medication. Results The Afghan sample averaged 129/80 mmHg, with 27.14% of hypertensive individuals. SBP showed inverse associations with reports of low fishar (β = −4.58, P < .001) and high fishar (β = 6.90, P < .001), as did DPB with low fishar (β = −1.55, P < .001) and high fishar (β = 3.77, P < .001). Low and high fishar responses accounted for substantial proportions of SBP data variation (R2 = 20% and R2 = 24%), especially in adults on blood pressure medication (R2 = 58% and R2 = 49%). Conclusions Subjective reports of fishar map onto physiological blood pressure more robustly than other conceptualizations of mental distress related to anxiety, dysphoria, negative affect, or aggression. Our results point to the utility of mapping biological and cultural measures of stress and distress, advancing biopsychosocial understandings of wellbeing in global mental health surveys.

  July 20, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22899   open full text
• Sociodemographic factors related to handgrip strength in children and adolescents in a middle income country: The SALUS study.
  Johanna Otero, Daniel Dylan Cohen, Victor Mauricio Herrera, Paul Anthony Camacho, Oscar Bernal, Patricio López‐Jaramillo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 17, 2016
  Objective To determine sociodemographic factors associated with handgrip (HG) strength in a representative sample of children and adolescents from a middle income country. Methods We evaluated youth between the ages of 8 and 17 from a representative sample of individuals from the Department of Santander, Colombia. Anthropometric measures, HG strength, and self‐reported physical activity were assessed, and parents/guardians completed sociodemographic questionnairres. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics and tertiles of relative HG strength. We also produced centile data for raw HG strength using quantile regression. Results 1,691 young people were evaluated. HG strength increased with age, and was higher in males than females in all age groups. Lower HG strength was associated with indicators of higher socioeconomic status, such as living in an urban area, residence in higher social strata neighborhoods, parent/guardian with secondary education or higher, higher household income, and membership in health insurance schemes. In addition, low HG strength was associated with lower physical activity levels and higher waist‐to‐hip ratio. In a fully adjusted regression model, all factors remained significant except for health insurance, household income, and physical activity level. Conclusions While age and gender specific HG strength values were substantially lower than contemporary data from high income countries, we found that within this middle income population indicators of higher socioeconomic status were associated with lower HG strength. This analysis also suggests that in countries undergoing rapid nutrition transition, improvements in socioeconomic conditions may be accompanied by reduction in muscle strength.

  July 17, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22896   open full text
• Androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism and hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal function in Filipino young adult males.
  Calen P. Ryan, Thomas W. McDade, Lee T. Gettler, Dan T. A. Eisenberg, Margarita Rzhetskaya, M. Geoffey Hayes, Christopher W. Kuzawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 15, 2016
  Objectives Testosterone (T), the primary androgenic hormone in males, is stimulated through pulsatile secretion of LH and regulated through negative feedback inhibition at the hypothalamus and pituitary. The hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal (HPG) axis also controls sperm production through the secretion of follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH). Negative feedback in the HPG axis is achieved in part through the binding of T to the androgen receptor (AR), which contains a highly variable trinucleotide repeat polymorphism (AR‐CAGn). The number of repeats in the AR‐CAGn inversely correlates with transcriptional activity of the AR. Thus, we predicted longer AR‐CAGn to be associated with higher T, LH, and FSH levels. Methods We examined the relationship between AR‐CAGn and total plasma T, LH, and FSH, as well as “bioavailable” morning (AM‐T) and evening (PM‐T) testosterone in 722 young (21.5 ± 0.5 years) Filipino males. Results There was no relationship between AR‐CAGn and total T, AM‐T, or LH (P > .25 for all). We did observe a marginally non‐significant (P = .066) correlation between AR‐CAGn and PM‐T in the predicted direction, and a negative correlation between AR‐CAGn and FSH (P = .005). Conclusions Our results both support and differ from previous findings in this area, and study parameters that differ between our study and others, such as participant age, sample time, and the role of other hormones should be considered when interpreting our findings. While our data point to a modest effect of AR‐CAGn on HPG regulation at best, the AR‐CAGn may still affect somatic traits by regulating androgenic activity at peripheral tissues.

  July 15, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22897   open full text
• Dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry spine scans to determine abdominal fat in postmenopausal women.
  J.W. Bea, R.M. Blew, S.B. Going, C.‐H. Hsu, M.C. Lee, V.R. Lee, B.J. Caan, M.L. Kwan, T.G. Lohman.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 15, 2016
  Body composition may be a better predictor of chronic disease risk than body mass index (BMI) in older populations. Objectives We sought to validate spine fat fraction (%) from dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) spine scans as a proxy for total abdominal fat. Methods Total body DXA scan abdominal fat regions of interest (ROI) that have been previously validated by magnetic resonance imaging were assessed among healthy, postmenopausal women who also had antero‐posterior spine scans (n = 103). ROIs were (1) lumbar vertebrae L2‐L4 and (2) L2‐Iliac Crest (L2‐IC), manually selected by two independent raters, and (3) trunk, auto‐selected by DXA software. Intra‐class correlation coefficients evaluated intra and inter‐rater reliability on a random subset (N = 25). Linear regression models, validated by bootstrapping, assessed the relationship between spine fat fraction (%) and total abdominal fat (%) ROIs. Results Mean age, BMI, and total body fat were 66.1 ± 4.8 y, 25.8 ± 3.8 kg/m2 and 40.0 ± 6.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences within or between raters. Linear regression models adjusted for several participant and scan characteristics were equivalent to using only BMI and spine fat fraction. The model predicted L2‐L4 (Adj. R2: 0.83) and L2‐IC (Adj. R2: 0.84) abdominal fat (%) well; the adjusted R2 for trunk fat (%) was 0.78. Model validation demonstrated minimal over‐fitting (Adj. R2: 0.82, 0.83, and 0.77 for L2‐L4, L2‐IC, and trunk fat, respectively). Conclusions The strong correlation between spine fat fraction and DXA abdominal fat measures make it suitable for further development in postmenopausal chronic disease risk prediction models. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:918–926, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  July 15, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22892   open full text
• Association of ADIPOQ, LEP, and FTO gene polymorphisms with large for gestational age infants.
  Caroline Kroll, Silmara S.B.S. Mastroeni, Paul J. Veugelers, Marco F. Mastroeni.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 09, 2016
  Objective The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the ADIPOQ rs2241766, LEP rs7799039, and FTO rs9939609 polymorphisms on the birth weight status of Brazilian infants. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted in southern Brazil. Large for gestational age (LGA) newborns (n = 105), and the same number of small for gestational age/adequate for gestational age newborns, were included. Genotyping of the rs2241766, rs7799039, and rs9939609 polymorphisms was done by PCR‐RFLP analysis. Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between LGA newborns and the presence of the polymorphisms. Results Infants carrying the GG genotype of the rs7799039 polymorphism were 2.12 times more likely to be born LGA than those carrying the GA + AA genotypes (95% CI: 1.17–3.83). These results did not change substantially after adjusting for potential confounding variables (OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.05–3.73) and adjustment for the three polymorphisms (OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.05‐3.74). Regarding the ADIPOQ polymorphism, newborns carrying the TG or GG genotype were 1.88 times more likely to be born LGA than those carrying the TT genotype, although this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.082). No association was found between the FTO gene polymorphism and newborn weight status. Conclusions This study showed that the GG genotype of the LEP polymorphism rs7799039 is a risk factor for LGA infants. The exact role and mechanism of action of the GG genotype of this polymorphism in weight status control remain to be elucidated, and more studies are needed.

  July 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22893   open full text
• Sex difference in attractiveness perceptions of strong and weak male walkers.
  Bernhard Fink, Selina André, Johanna S. Mines, Bettina Weege, Todd K. Shackelford, Marina L. Butovskaya.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 07, 2016
  Objectives Men and women accurately assess male physical strength from facial and body morphology cues. Women's assessments of male facial attractiveness, masculinity, and dominance correlate positively with male physical strength. A positive relationship also has been reported between physical strength and attractiveness of men's dance movements. Here, we investigate men's and women's attractiveness, dominance, and strength assessments from brief samples of male gait. Methods Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured in 70 heterosexual men and their gait was motion‐captured. Men and women judged 20 precategorized strong (high HGS) and weak (low HGS) walkers on attractiveness, dominance, and strength, and provided a measure of their own HGS. Results Both men and women judged strong walkers higher on dominance and strength than weak walkers. Women but not men judged strong walkers more attractive than weak walkers. These effects were independent of observers' physical strength. Conclusions Male physical strength is conveyed not only through facial and body morphology, but also through body movements. We discuss our findings with reference to studies suggesting that physical strength provides information about male quality in contexts of inter‐ and intrasexual selection. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:913–917, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  July 07, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22891   open full text
• Growth patterns among indigenous Qom children of the Argentine Gran Chaco.
  Marta P. Alfonso‐Durruty, Claudia R. Valeggia.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 28, 2016
  OBJECTIVES This study describes and compares the growth strategies of rural (Western) and peri‐urban (Eastern) Qom indigenous children from Argentina. METHODS Height and weight were cross‐sectionally assessed in Western (n = 263) and Eastern Qom (n = 512) individuals aged 0‐18.9 years. Height‐for‐age (HAZ), weight‐for‐age (WAZ), and BMI‐for‐age (BMIZ) z‐scores were calculated with an LMS software. Results were organized into four age categories: infancy, childhood, juvenility, and adolescence. Between‐group comparisons of HAZ, WAZ, and BMIZ were carried out by age and sex categories and compared with Student's t or Mann Whitney tests. Nutritional status was classified based on BMIZ following WHO recommendations and was compared with x2 tests. RESULTS In both groups, height and weight followed the typical human growth curve. Mean HAZ scores in both groups were within two standard deviations from the international reference, and increased from infancy to juvenility. WAZ and BMIZ scores were high during infancy and showed a general declining trend with age. Overall, Western Qom had higher HAZ scores. WAZ and BMIZ score comparisons showed only a handful of statistically significant differences, which, along with the analysis of BMI categories, indicated an association between peri‐urban environments and a higher prevalence of overweight and obese individuals (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Among the Qom, low HAZ and high WAZ scores during the early years of development allow for the attainment of a relatively high adult stature. Their adaptive life‐history strategy seems to be to divert energy toward body mass during early development, and catch‐up with linear growth at a later stage of development. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:895–904, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 28, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22886   open full text
• Normal growth, altered growth? Study of the relationship between harris lines and bone form within a post‐medieval plague cemetery (Dendermonde, Belgium, 16th Century).
  Alexandra Boucherie, Dominique Castex, Caroline Polet, Sacha Kacki.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 24, 2016
  Objectives Harris lines (HLs) are defined as transverse, mineralized lines associated with temporary growth arrest. In paleopathology, HLs are used to reconstruct health status of past populations. However, their etiology is still obscure. The aim of this article is to test the reliability of HLs as an arrested growth marker by investigating their incidence on human metrical parameters. Methods The study was performed on 69 individuals (28 adults, 41 subadults) from the Dendermonde plague cemetery (Belgium, 16th century). HLs were rated on distal femora and both ends of tibiae. Overall prevalence and age‐at‐formation of each detected lines were calculated. ANOVA analyses were conducted within subadult and adult samples to test if the presence of HLs did impact size and shape parameters of the individuals. Results At Dendermonde, 52% of the individuals had at least one HL. The age‐at‐formation was estimated between 5 and 9 years old for the subadults and between 10 and 14 years old for the adults. ANOVA analyses showed that the presence of HLs did not affect the size of the individuals. However, significant differences in shape parameters were highlighted by HL presence. Subadults with HLs displayed slighter shape parameters than the subadults without, whereas the adults with HLs had larger measurements than the adults without. Conclusions The results suggest that HLs can have a certain impact on shape parameters. The underlying causes can be various, especially for the early formed HLs. However, HLs deposited around puberty are more likely to be physiological lines reflecting hormonal secretions. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 29:e22885, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 24, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22885   open full text
• Population variation of LIN28B in the Mediterranean: Novel markers for microgeographic discrimination.
  Miguel M. Álvarez‐Álvarez, Robert Carreras‐Torres, Daniela Zanetti, Esteban Vegas, Pedro Moral.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 24, 2016
  Objectives The aim of this study is to determine whether the LIN28B gene is differentially distributed in the Mediterranean region through the analysis of the allele distribution of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), namely rs7759938, rs314277, and rs221639, in 24 populations. These SNPs have been recently related to the age at menarche, pubertal height growth, peripubertal body mass index, levels of prenatal testosterone exposure, and cancer survival. Methods A total of 1,197 DNA samples were genotyped. The allele frequencies were used to determine the relationship between populations, with data from the 1000 Genomes Project being used for external comparisons. The genotype distributions and the population structure between populations and groups of populations were determined. Results The population results indicate a significant degree of variation (FST = 0.043, P < 0.0001). Allele frequencies show significant differences among populations. A hierarchical variance analysis is consistent with a primary differentiation between populations on the North and South coasts of the Mediterranean. This difference is especially evident in the unexpected distribution of the SNP rs221639, which shows one of the highest FST (11.5%, P < 0.0001) values described in the Mediterranean region thus far. Conclusion The population differentiation and the structuring of the genetic variance, in agreement with previous studies, indicate that the SNPs in question are good tools for the study of human populations, even at a microgeographic level. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:905–912, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 24, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22887   open full text
• Dose–response between pedometer assessed physical activity, functional fitness, and fatness in healthy adults aged 50–80 years.
  Michael J. Duncan, Giseli Minatto, Sheila Leddington Wright.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 20, 2016
  Objectives This study examined dose–response relationships of walking with multiple aspects of physical function and measures of body fatness in apparently healthy, independent adults aged 50–80 years. Methods 201 adults (81 male, 120 female) aged 50–80 years underwent assessment of body mass index (BMI), body fatness, waist circumference (WC) and 6 measures of functional fitness. Sealed pedometery, worn over 7 days, was used to determine physical activity (PA). PA was categorized into three groups (low = 2,501–5,000; medium = 5,001–7,500; and high=>7,501 steps/day). Results Results from a series of 2 (gender) × 3 (PA dose) way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for age, indicated dose–response effects of PA for all functional fitness tests where participants classed as high PA had higher scores for arm curl, chair stand, 6 minute walk, back scratch, and sit and reach and lower scores for the timed up and go test compared to those classed as low and medium PA. There were also significant main effects for PA dose for BMI, WC, and body fat %. Those classed as low PA had significantly higher BMI, WC and body fatness compared to those classed as medium and high PA. Conclusions This study shows a positive dose–response trend whereby as an individual undertakes more daily steps (based on previously established step‐count groups), multiple aspects of functionality increase and anthropometric markers of overweight and obesity decrease. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:890–894, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 20, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22884   open full text
• Lifestyle mediates seasonal changes in metabolic health among the yakut (sakha) of northeastern siberia.
  Stephanie B. Levy, William R. Leonard, Larissa A. Tarskaia, Tatiana M. Klimova, Valentina I. Fedorova, Marina E. Baltakhinova, J. Josh Snodgrass.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 13, 2016
  Objectives Among indigenous circumpolar populations, extreme seasonality influences food availability and energy metabolism. Furthermore, subsistence patterns and wage labor opportunities shift with season. Thus, health measures among circumpolar populations likely exhibit seasonal changes that are influenced by lifestyle factors. This study examines how markers of cardio‐metabolic health vary between summer and winter as a function of an individual's lifestyle and sex among the Yakut of northeastern Siberia. Methods Anthropometric dimensions, serum lipids and glucose levels, blood pressure, and lifestyle data were collected for a sample of 115 Yakut participants (71 women, 44 men) in Berdygestiakh, Sakha Republic, Russia in the summer of 2009 and winter of 2011. Results Men and women experienced significant increases in total and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels from summer to winter. Women exhibited winter‐time increases in adiposity and glucose levels. Men who reported greater market integration were more likely to have lower winter blood pressure levels. Additionally, time spent fishing was associated with lower winter‐time LDL cholesterol, while foraging time was associated with higher HDL cholesterol. Conclusions While seasonal changes in anthropometric dimensions were modest, Yakut men and women experienced significant increases in total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol from summer to winter. These results also suggest that while Yakut individuals with greater subsistence participation are more buffered from adverse seasonal changes in cholesterol levels, they may be at a greater risk for winter increases in blood pressure. Furthermore, the interactions between lifestyle and seasonal change in metabolic health appear to differ between Yakut women and men. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:868–878, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 13, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22879   open full text
• Dissecting mitochondrial dna variability of balearic populations from the bronze age to the current era.
  Marc Simón, Nancy Díaz, Eduvigis Solórzano, Rafael Montiel, Paolo Francalacci, Assumpció Malgosa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 13, 2016
  Objectives To determine ancient population influences on ancient and current Balearic populations and to reconstruct their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene pool evolution. Methods We analyzed 239 individuals belonging to five archaeological populations from Majorca and Minorca, four dating to the transition between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, and one Late Roman Majorcan population. Six additional individuals from Santa Teresa di Gallura from the Nuragic period were characterized and added to the existing samples from that culture to make comparisons with Talaiotic populations. Results We characterized the haplogroups of 138 individuals and obtained 69 sequences from mtDNA hypervariable region I. In the intra‐island study, the apparent differences in social and funerary rites between two contiguous Majorcan necropolises were correlated with genetic characteristics. Also, the likely occurrence of consanguinity in a population with a very particular burial pattern was supported by genetic data. Despite the uniqueness of each necropolis, the global comparison of the five necropolises revealed no significant differences between them, or between ancient and modern populations from the islands. Ancient Balearics showed a similar mtDNA gene pool to Ancient Catalans, had a Near Eastern component, and showed continuity with European populations since at least the Bronze Age. Conclusion We characterized five Balearic necropolises in the context of their geographic and cultural characteristics. The similarity between ancient Balearic and ancient Catalan gene pools reinforces their known historic interactions, while the lack of a consistent genetic continuity with Ancient Sardinians suggests that Talaiotic and Nuragic cultures arose in differentiated populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 29:e22883, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 13, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22883   open full text
• Patterns of morphological integration in the dental arches of individuals with malocclusion.
  Steven F. Miller, Kaci C. Vela, Steven M. Levy, Thomas E. Southard, David G. Gratton, Lina M. Moreno Uribe.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 13, 2016
  Objectives In humans, there is a large range of variation in the form of the maxillary and mandibular dental arches. This variation can manifest as either prognathism or retrognathism in either or both arches, which can cause malocclusion and lead to abnormal masticatory function. This study aims to identify aspects of variation and morphological integration existing in the dental arches of individuals with different types of malocclusion. Methods Coordinate landmark data were collected along the gingival margins of 397 scanned dental casts and then analyzed using geometric morphometric techniques to explore arch form variation and patterns of morphological integration within each malocclusion type. Results Significant differences were identified between Class II forms (increased projection of upper arch relative to the lower arch) and Class III forms (lower arch projection beyond the upper arch) in symmetrical shape variation, including anteroposterior arch discrepancies and abnormal anterior arch divergence or convergence. Partial least squares analysis demonstrated that Class III dental arches have higher levels of covariance between upper and lower arches (RV = 0.91) compared to the dental arches of Class II (RV = 0.78) and Class I (RV = 0.73). These high levels of covariance, however, are on the lower end of the overall range of possible masticatory blocks, indicating weaker than expected levels of integration. Conclusions This study provides evidence for patterns of variation in dental arch shape found in individuals with Class II and Class III malocclusions. Moreover, differences in integration found between malocclusion types have ramifications for how such conditions should be studied and treated. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:879–889, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 13, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22880   open full text
• Genetic heritage of Croatians in the Southeastern European gene pool—Y chromosome analysis of the Croatian continental and Island population.
  Jelena Šarac, Tena Šarić, Dubravka Havaš Auguštin, Natalija Novokmet, Nenad Vekarić, Mate Mustać, Blaženka Grahovac, Miljenko Kapović, Branimir Nevajda, Anton Glasnović, Saša Missoni, Siiri Rootsi, Pavao Rudan.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 09, 2016
  Objectives The research objective of this study is to enlarge and deepen the Y chromosome research on the Croatian population and enable additional insights into the population diversity and historic events that shaped the current genetic landscape of Croatia and Southeastern Europe (SEE). Materials and Methods A high‐resolution phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis of 66 biallelic (SNPs) and 17 microsatellite (STRs) markers of the Y chromosome was performed using 720 Croatian samples. The obtained results were placed in a wider European context by comparison with ∼4450 samples from a number of other European populations. Results A high diversity of haplogroups was observed in the overall Croatian sample, and all typical European Y chromosome haplogroups with corresponding clinal patterns were observed. Three distinct genetic signals were identifiable in the Croatian paternal gene pool ‐ I2a1b‐M423, R1a1a1b1a*‐M558, and E1b1b1a1b1a‐V13 haplogroups. Discussion The analyses of the dominant and autochthonous I2a1b‐M423 lineage (>30%) suggest that SEE had a significant role in the Upper Paleolithic, the R1a1a1b1a*‐M558 lineage (19%) represents a signal from present day Slavic populations of Central Europe in the Croatian population, and the phylogeography of the E1b1b1a1b1a‐V13 clade (around 9%) implies cultural diffusion of agriculture into Europe via the Balkan Peninsula. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:837–845, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22876   open full text
• Improvement in the biological standard of living in 20th century Korea: Evidence from age at menarche.
  Kitae Sohn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 09, 2016
  Objectives We used age at menarche to understand improvement in the biological standard of living in South Korea during the 20th century. Methods The main dataset, the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, provided a consistent source of nationally representative data with a large number of observations over a long period of time. We calculated mean ages at menarche by birth year and estimated the rate of decrease in age at menarche, while avoiding survival bias. Results The mean age at menarche decreased from 16.64 for the birth year 1941 to 12.68 for the birth year 1992, decreasing 0.78 (or 0.81 in a regression) years per decade for the period. Comparisons with other populations demonstrate that this is the fastest rate of decline ever known. In contrast to other developed countries, the decreasing rate in Korea does not appear to slow. We also compared the trend in age at menarche to that of height and found that the rate of increase in height is also the fastest in history. Conclusions Age at menarche is an appropriate index of change in the general standard of living in South Korea over the 20th century. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 29:e22882, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22882   open full text
• MtDNA and Y‐chromosomal diversity in the Chachapoya, a population from the northeast Peruvian Andes‐Amazon divide.
  Evelyn K. Guevara, Jukka U. Palo, Sonia Guillén, Antti Sajantila.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 06, 2016
  Objectives The ancient Chachapoya were an aggregate of several ethnic groups that shared a common language, religion, and material culture. They inhabited a territory at the juncture of the Andes and the Amazon basin. Their position between those ecozones most likely influenced their genetic composition. We attempted to better understand their population history by assessing the contemporary genetic diversity in the Chachapoya and three of their immediate neighbors (Huancas, Jivaro, and Cajamarca). We inferred signatures of demographic history and genetic affinities, and contrasted the findings with data from other populations on local and continental scales. Methods We studied mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; hypervariable segment [HVSI and HVSII]) and Y chromosome (23 short tandem repeats (STRs)) marker data in 382 modern individuals. We used Sanger sequencing for mtDNA and a commercially available kit for Y–chromosomal STR typing. Results The Chachapoya had affinities with various populations of Andean and Amazonian origin. When examining the Native American component, the Chachapoya displayed high levels of genetic diversity. Together with other parameters, for example, large Tajima's D and Fu's Fs, the data indicated no drastic reduction of the population size in the past. Conclusion The high level of diversity in the Chachapoya, the lack of evidence of drift in the past, and genetic affinities with a broad range of populations in the Americas reflects an intricate population history in the region. The new genetic data from the Chachapoya indeed seems to point to a genetic complexity that is not yet resolved but beginning to be elucidated. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:857–867, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 06, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22878   open full text
• Genetic modulators of sickle cell disease in French Guiana: Markers of the slave trade.
  Christine Simonnet, Narcisse Elanga, Philippe Joly, Tania Vaz, Mathieu Nacher.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 02, 2016
  Objectives Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the leading genetic disease in French Guiana, reflecting the predominantly African ancestry of the Guianese population. Our purpose was to characterize the genetic modulators of SCD in order to retrace the origin of the population in light of the slave trade. Methods We have studied the sickle cell genotype, the βS haplotypes, the alpha and beta thalassemia and the UGT1A1 promoter polymorphisms in 224 Guianese patients with SCD. Results The genotypes of SCD were HbSS 65.6%, HbSC 24.5%, and HbS‐beta thalassemia 9.4%. The most frequent βS haplotypes were the Benin haplotype (65.9% of the chromosomes) and the Bantu (20.5%). Alpha thalassemic deletions were present in 37% of the patients and homozygosity for the (TA)7 allele of the UGT1A1 promoter in 21.4%. When the patients' origins were considered, 3 groups, Noir Marron, Haitians and Creoles, displayed distinctive characteristics. The HbSC genotype, the Benin haplotype, and the homozygous UGT1A1 genotype TA7/TA7 were significantly more frequent in Noir Marron. The Haitian patients were characterized by the occurrence of alpha‐thalassemia and beta‐thalassemia and by a higher prevalence of the Bantu haplotype. In the group of Creole patients, the genotype HbSS was predominant but the other modulators of SCD were associated with intermediate risk. Conclusions The results highlight the genetic diversity of the Guianese population and are concordant with historical data on the slave trade showing a West African origin for Noir Marron and a Central African origin for Haitians, while Guianese Creoles are highly admixed. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:811–816, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 02, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22871   open full text
• Exploring the mitochondrial DNA variability of the Amazonian Yanomami.
  Sara Varano, Gabriele Scorrano, Cristina Martínez‐Labarga, Andrea Finocchio, Cesare Rapone, Andrea Berti, Olga Rickards.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 01, 2016
  Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the mitochondrial variability in the Yanomami population to reconstruct its demographic history and explore its genetic composition in relation to its cultural and linguistic features. Methods A total of 174 human head hair shafts ‐collected in 1958‐ belonging to individuals from a Yanomami group living in Santa Isabel, Brazil, were analyzed. Automated extraction of the hairs was performed, and several methods were applied to optimize the analysis of the degraded DNA. The mtDNA hypervariable segments I–II, along with the 9‐bp COII‐tRNALys deletion, were investigated. Using published data from the Yanomami and other Amazonian populations, several statistical analyses were carried out to explore the genetic variability within the study population. Results Ninety eight percent of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences analyzed belonged to Native American haplogroups, while 2% belonged to African haplogroups. Compared with the Yanomami groups previously studied, the Santa Isabel sample seemed more genetically similar to other Amazonian populations. Conclusions Among the Yanomami samples studied to date, the Santa Isabel Yanomami show a higher genetic heterogeneity. This could be due to gene flow with non‐Yanomami populations, as well as to the introduction of new mitochondrial haplotypes by gold miners. In both cases, the geographic location of Santa Isabel might have made this Yanomami village less isolated than the others, suggesting that the Rio Negro played a central role in increasing its genetic variability. On the whole, the Yanomami were quite genetically diversified, probably mirroring their great linguistic heterogeneity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:846–856, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22877   open full text
• Directional asymmetry of upper limbs in a medieval population from Poland: A combination of linear and geometric morphometrics.
  Anna Maria Kubicka, Przemysław Lubiatowski, Jan Dawid Długosz, Leszek Romanowski, Janusz Piontek.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 30, 2016
  Objectives Degrees of upper‐limb bilateral asymmetry reflect habitual behavior and activity levels throughout life in human populations. The shoulder joint facilitates a wide range of combined motions due to the simultaneous motion of all three bones: clavicle, scapula, and humerus. Accordingly, we used three‐dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyze shape differences in the glenoid cavity and linear morphometrics to obtain the degree of directional asymmetry in a medieval population. Methods To calculate directional asymmetry, clavicles, humeri, and scapulae from 100 individuals (50 females, 50 males) were measured. Landmarks and semilandmarks were placed within a three‐dimensional reconstruction of the glenoid cavity for analysis of shape differences between sides of the body within sexes. Results Linear morphometrics showed significant directional asymmetry in both sexes in all bones. Geometric morphometrics revealed significant shape differences of the glenoid cavity between sides of the body in females but not in males. Both indicators of directional asymmetry (%DA and %AA) did not show significant differences between sexes. PLS analysis revealed a significant correlation between glenoid shape and two humeral head diameters only in females on the left side of the body. Conclusions The studied population, perhaps due to a high level of activity, exhibited slightly greater upper‐limb bone bilateral asymmetry than other agricultural populations. Results suggest that the upper limbs were involved in similar activity patterns in both sexes but were characterized by different habitual behaviors. To obtain comprehensive results, studies should be based on sophisticated methods such as geometric morphometrics as well as standard measurements. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:817–824, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22873   open full text
• Spatial variation of dental caries in late holocene samples of Southern South America: A geostatistical study.
  Lumila Paula Menéndez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 30, 2016
  Objective The spatial variation of dental caries in late Holocene southern South American populations will be analyzed using geostatistical methods. The existence of a continuous geographical pattern of dental caries variation will be tested. Methods The author recorded dental caries in 400 individuals, collated this information with published caries data from 666 additional individuals, and calculated a Caries Index. The caries spatial distribution was evaluated by means of 2D maps and scatterplots. Geostatistical analyses were performed by calculating Moran's I, correlograms and a Procrustes analysis. Results There is a relatively strong latitudinal continuous gradient of dental caries variation, especially in the extremes of the distribution. Moreover, the association between dental caries and geography was relatively high (m12 = 0.6). Although northern and southern samples had the highest and lowest frequencies of dental caries, respectively, the central ones had the largest variation and had lower rates of caries than expected. Conclusion The large variation in frequencies of dental caries in populations located in the center of the distribution could be explained by their subsistence strategies, characterized either by the consumption of wild cariogenic plants or cultigens (obtained locally or by exchange), a reliance on fishing, or the incorporation of plants rich in starch rather than carbohydrates. It is suggested that dental caries must be considered a multifactorial disease which results from the interaction of cultural practices and environmental factors. This can change how we understand subsistence strategies as well as how we interpret dental caries rates. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:825–836, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22874   open full text
• Malnutrition and body composition in urban and rural schoolchildren: A cross‐sectional study in San Rafael, Mendoza (Argentina).
  Mariela Garraza, María F. Cesani, Graciela T. Navone, Evelia E. Oyhenart.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 30, 2016
  Objectives The aim of the present study was to analyze the nutritional status and body composition of children from San Rafael, Mendoza, avoiding urban and rural categorization by generating subpopulations as a function of their socio‐environmental characteristics. Methods A cross‐sectional study was performed in 3,596 schoolchildren from 4.0 to 13.9 years of age. Body weight, height, upper arm circumference, and triceps skinfold were measured. Body mass index, total muscle, and fat areas of the arm were calculated. To estimate nutritional status and body composition, the NHANES III reference was used. The socio‐environmental variables were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. These variables were processed by categorical principal‐component analysis (catPCA). Results The catPCA allowed the differentiation of four groups, three with urban characteristics (high urban, medium urban, impoverished urban), and a rural group. Stunting occurred at a higher rate in the impoverished urban group, and the occurrence of underweight children was higher in the rural group. The prevalence of excess weight varied in the range of 20–26%. The latter value corresponded to children of the high urban group, who also did not show reduced muscle mass. Conclusion Children from San Rafael presented differences in nutritional condition and body composition associated with pronounced socio‐environmental heterogeneity. Thus, we could observe a gradient from the “high urban” group, with better social, economic, and sanitation conditions and at the same time a more obesogenic environment to the “impoverished urban” and “rural” groups, whose vulnerability reflected a higher prevalence of child undernutrition and the association with excess weight and reduced muscle mass. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:796–803, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22869   open full text
• Patterns of directional asymmetry in the pelvis and pelvic canal.
  Victoria A. Tobolsky, Helen K. Kurki, Jay T. Stock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 25, 2016
  Objectives The human pelvis is unique among modern taxa for supporting both parturition of large brained young and obligate bipedalism. Though much work has focused on pelvic development and variation, little work has explored the presence or absence of asymmetry in the pelvis despite well‐known patterns of asymmetry in other skeletal regions. This study investigated whether patterns of directional asymmetry (DA) could be observed in the pelvis or pelvic canal. Methods Seventeen bilaterally paired osteometric measurements of the os coxae (34 measures in total) were taken from 128 skeletons (female n = 65, male n = 63) from recent human populations in five geographic regions. Paired sample t‐tests and Mann–Whitney U‐tests were used to investigate DA. Results Results from a pooled sample of all individuals showed that the pelvis exhibited a left‐bias in DA. In contrast, the pelvic canal exhibited a pattern in which the anterior canal exhibited a right‐bias and the posterior canal exhibited a left‐bias. Neither sex nor populational differences in DA were observed in the pelvis or pelvic canal. Conclusions The varying patterns of asymmetry uncovered here accord with prior work and may indicate that loading from the trunk and legs place differing stresses on the pelvis and canal, yielding these unequal asymmetries. However, this is speculative and the possible influence of genetics, biomechanics, and nutritional status on the development of pelvic and canal asymmetries presents a rich area for future study. Additionally, the potential influence of pelvic canal asymmetry on obstetric measures of pelvic capacity merits future research. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:804–810, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 25, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22870   open full text
• Association between summer temperature and body weight in Japanese adolescents and children: An ecological analysis.
  Masana Yokoya, Yukito Higuchi.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 25, 2016
  Objective Several experimental studies reported evidence of a negative energy balance at higher temperatures. However, corresponding weight loss has not been noted in clinical practice. This study investigated the geographical association between outdoor temperature and body weight in Japanese adolescents and children. Methods An ecological analysis was conducted using prefecture‐level data on the mean body weight of Japanese adolescents and children over a 25‐year period and Japanese mesh (regional) climatic data on the mean annual temperature, mean daily maximum temperature in August, and mean daily minimum temperature in January were also analyzed. Results Correlation analysis uncovered a stronger association between weight and the mean daily maximum temperature in August than with other climatic variables. Moreover, multiple regression analysis indicated that height and the mean daily maximum temperature in August were statistically significant predictors of weight. This suggests that geographical differences in weight in Japanese adolescents and children can be explained by the complementary relationship between height‐associated weight gain and weight loss caused by summer heat. Conclusions Summer temperatures may reduce the proportion of children who are overweight and contribute to geographical differences in body weight in Japanese adolescents and children. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:789–795, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 25, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22867   open full text
• Cardiovascular fitness, physical activity, and metabolic syndrome risk factors among adolescent estonian boys: A longitudinal study.
  Evelin Lätt, Jarek Mäestu, Triin Rääsk, Toivo Jürimäe, Jaak Jürimäe.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 11, 2016
  Objectives The aim was to examine the changes in metabolic syndrome risk factors over a 2‐year period, and to investigate the independent influence of baseline physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular fitness (CVF) on these changes. Methods 120 Estonian boys (age at baseline 11.9 ± 0.1 years) were grouped according to baseline PA or CVF/kg (VO2max/kg) and CVF/LBM (VO2max/LBM). PA was assessed by 7‐day accelerometry. Total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TRG), insulin and glucose were measured and assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and TC/HDL ratio were calculated. Results In both CVF/kg and CVF/LBM, the low CVF groups had significantly higher values of HOMA‐IR (P < 0.009) over time. In TRG and TC/HDL ratio values the only significant difference over time emerged between CVF/kg groups (P < 0.001). Participants in high metabolic risk CVF/kg group were 5.9 times more likely to have high HOMA‐IR values, 2.9 times more likely to have high triglyceride values, and 3.5 times more likely to have high TC/HDL ratio values (P ≤ 0.045) in the second year follow‐up compared to those who were in the low metabolic risk CVF/kg group. In moderate‐to‐vigorous PA groups there were no significant differences between HOMA‐IR, TRG, and TC/HDL ratio values over time. Conclusions The results of the study indicate that CVF has a stronger longitudinal prediction value compared to moderate to vigorous physical activity in terms of metabolic risk factors in adolescent boys. Fitness remained a significant predictor if the influence of body fatness was removed from the analysis. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:782–788, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 11, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22866   open full text
• A study of the molecular variants associated with lactase persistence in different Ecuadorian ethnic groups.
  César Paz‐Y‐Miño, Germán Burgos, Andrés López‐Cortés, Camilo Herrera, Anibal Gaviria, Eduardo Tejera, Alejandro Cabrera‐Andrade.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 06, 2016
  Objective Lactase persistence (LP) is an adaptive trait that certain human populations have acquired in response to lactose consumption in adulthood. The T‐13910 variant has been reported as a causal polymorphism in Europeans. The Ecuadorian population has been described as multicultural and multiethnic, comprised of three main ethnic groups (Mestizo, Native Amerindian, and Afro‐Ecuadorian). The aim of the study was to identify the molecular basis of LP in these admixed populations for the first time and determine the association between the T‐13910 marker and the European ancestry proportion of each ethnic group. Methods Genotyping was performed in 741 Ecuadorian individuals by sequencing a 576 bp region around the ‐13910 position upstream of the LCT gene. The ancestry proportions of Mestizo, Afro‐Ecuadorian, and Native Amerindians were calculated using Ancestry Informative Markers and were compared with the diversity panel of the Human Genome Diversity Project. Results LP prevalence calculated from T‐13910 allele frequency in Mestizo, Afro‐Ecuadorian, and Native Amerindians was 24.4%, 16%, and 12.5%, respectively. The ancestry percentage correlated to the admixture proportion of each ethnic group, and the C/T‐13910 genotype frequency was influenced by the European ancestry proportion. Conclusions The presence of the T‐13910 polymorphism in the Ecuadorian population suggested that LP was a trait introduced by European migration and inherited by admixture that occurred during the colonization of South America. This variant was not fixed in a population with a history of admixture, and its allele frequency was proportional to the ancestry proportion of each Ecuadorian ethnic group. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:774–781, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 06, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22865   open full text
• Inadequate gestational weight gain increases risk of small‐for‐gestational‐age term birth in girls in Japan: A population‐based cohort study.
  Melissa K. Melby, Goro Yamada, Pamela J. Surkan.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 06, 2016
  Objectives Babies born small for gestational age (SGA) have a higher risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality as well as later life chronic disease. The objectives of this study were to examine the extent to which prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) influenced risk of SGA among Japanese, and to evaluate physician response to, and potential effects on, GWG. Methods We examined SGA risk as a function of maternal BMI and GWG using logistic regression with data from maternal child health handbooks obtained from women in Japan (N = 383). Physicians’ written comments on weight and dietary restriction were analyzed for responses to and influence on GWG. Results SGA babies comprised 8.6% of the sample, with 13% and 6% of the mothers being underweight and overweight, respectively, and 21.7% and 19.8% of mothers gaining less and more than the recommended amounts, respectively. In adjusted models, higher prepregnancy BMI and GWG were associated with lower risk of SGA (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.56, 0.90; 0.75, 95% CI 0.61, 0.92 respectively) in models for girls, but not for boys. Inadequate GWG was associated with higher risk of SGA in girls (OR 6.64, 95% CI 2.18, 20.22). Physician written instructions to restrict dietary intake and weight gain followed an average weight gain of 0.69 kg/week from the previous prenatal exam, and were followed by weight gains that decreased to 0.30 kg/week. Conclusions Prepregnancy BMI and GWG significantly influence SGA risk in female babies. GWG may be influenced by physicians’ recommendations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:714–720, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 06, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22855   open full text
• Disappearing seasonality in birthweight.
  Kitae Sohn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 03, 2016
  Objectives We estimated seasonality in birthweight over time and assessed how seasonality changed. Methods We analyzed all full‐term singletons (N = 8,268,693) born in South Korea in 1997–2014. We first pooled all years and regressed birthweight on birth season while flexibly controlling for a large set of covariates. We then repeated the analysis by birth year and charted the trends in seasonality in birthweight. Results When we pooled all years, babies born in winter were the heaviest, while those born in summer the lightest; the difference in birthweight was about 11 g. When we analyzed the data by birth year, however, seasonality almost disappeared by the end of the period. Conclusions Whatever causes the seasonality has lost its influence in Korea. Replication studies can determine whether other countries exhibit the same patterns. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:767–773, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 03, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22864   open full text
• Inverse associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D in obese American children and adolescents.
  Miryoung Lee, James R. Ebert, Madhavi P. Kadakia, Jin Zhang, Stefan A. Czerwinski.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 02, 2016
  Objectives To examine the association between 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese American children. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 209 obese children (55% females, 25.8% black) aged between 6 and 19 years old. Study measurements included plasma 25(OH)D concentrations, blood pressure, lipids and oxidized LDL levels, insulin resistance (IR) indices from glucose, insulin and 5 hour oral glucose tolerance test. Results Fifty‐one percent of the children had vitamin D deficiency. Older age [OR (95% CI) = 1.16 (1.00, 1.35)], black race/ethnicity [15.39 (5.79, 40.92)], winter/spring season [3.46 (1.69, 7.02)] and higher body mass index (BMI) [1.05 (0.99, 1.11)] were associated with increased odds of having vitamin D deficiency. None of cardiometabolic risk factors examined were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency in age, race/ethnicity, season, and BMI adjusted models. In age, race/ethnicity, season and BMI adjusted models, total cholesterol (β = −0.001, P = 0.013), non‐HDL‐C (β = −0.001, P = 0.014), and oxidized LDL (β = −0.087, P = 0.045) were inversely associated with log‐transformed 25(OH)D. An approximate 10 mg/dl increase in total cholesterol or in non‐HDL‐C was associated with an approximate 1.3% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D concentration. Further a 10% increase in ox‐LDL levels was associated with an approximate 0.8% decrease in the geometric mean of 25(OH)D. Conclusion Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in obese American children. There was evidence that some cardiometabolic risk factors including lipid levels and oxidized LDL levels were significantly inversely associated with 25(OH)D concentration in our sample. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:736–742, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 02, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22863   open full text
• Maternal phenotype, independent of family economic capital, predicts educational attainment in lowland nepalese children.
  Akanksha A. Marphatia, Delan Devakumar, Jonathan C.K. Wells, Naomi Saville, Alice Reid, Anthony Costello, Dharma S Manandhar, David Osrin.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 02, 2016
  Objectives Factors acting before children are born or reach school‐going age may explain why some do not complete primary education. Many relevant factors relate to maternal phenotype, but few studies have tested for independent associations of maternal factors relative to those characterizing the family in general. Methods Using data from a longitudinal study of 838 children in Dhanusha, Nepal, we used logistic regression models to test whether indices of maternal somatic and educational capital, or family economic capital, were independently associated with children having had ≤2 versus 3+ years of schooling at a mean age of 8.5 years. We also tested whether maternal age, children's early growth, and urban/rural location mediated such associations. Results Children had a higher risk of completing less schooling if their mothers were short, thin, anemic, and uneducated. Independently, lower family material assets and land acreage also increased children's odds of less schooling. There was an indication of gender differences, with the risk of poor educational attainment in girls associated with low maternal somatic and educational capital, whereas in boys the relevant factors were low maternal education and family land ownership. Conclusions Our analysis demonstrates that, independent of broader indices of family capital such as land or material assets, children's educational attainment is associated with factors embodied in maternal phenotype. Both somatic and educational maternal capital appeared important. A composite index of maternal capital could provide a new measurable proxy, prior to school entry, for identifying children at risk of completing fewer years of schooling. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:687–698, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 02, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22852   open full text
• The association between low blood lead levels and the prevalence of prehypertension among nonhypertensive adults in Korea.
  Wanhyung Lee, Jin‐ha Yoon, Jaehoon Roh, Seunghyun Lee, Hongdeok Seok, June‐hee Lee, Pil Kyun Jung, Jeongbae Rhie, Jong‐uk Won.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 28, 2016
  Objectives Low‐level lead exposure has been associated with increases in blood pressure (BP) and impairment of the cardiovascular system. Prehypertension is not categorized as a disease currently; however, individuals with untreated prehypertension are known to be at increased risk of progression to hypertension and mortality caused by cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association between blood lead levels below the threshold for the harmful effects of lead and the prevalence of prehypertension in Korean adults. Methods A total of 8,493 participants (3,945 men and 4,548 women) were included in the current analysis, using data from the fourth, fifth, and sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) in 2007–2013. Blood analysis, self‐report questionnaires, and physical examinations were used to assess blood lead levels, BP, and medical history. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for prehypertension were calculated using multiple logistic regression models. Results Compared to the first quartile (Q1) blood lead level (0.206–1.539 μg/dl), the ORs (95% CI) were 1.24 (1.04–1.48) in Q2, (1.540–2.056 μg/dl), 1.27 (1.06–1.52) in Q3, (2.057–2.716 μg/dl), and 1.30 (1.07–1.60) in Q4 (2.717–24.532 μg/dl) for the prevalence of prehypertension after adjusting for age, sex, morbidity status, socioeconomic status, and health behavioral variables. Conclusions Our large, cross‐sectional, nationwide study revealed that blood lead levels below the threshold for the harmful effects of lead were significantly associated with prehypertension. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:729–735, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 28, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22857   open full text
• Automated quantification of abdominal adiposity by magnetic resonance imaging.
  Jingjing Sun, Bugao Xu, Jeanne Freeland‐Graves.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 28, 2016
  Objectives To develop a fully‐automated algorithm to process axial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) slices for quantifying abdominal visceral, subcutaneous and total adipose tissues, i.e., VAT, SAT, and TAT, without human intervention or prior knowledge. Materials and Methods Fat regions in single MRI slice or sequence (20 slices) were identified with image processing techniques including region‐growing, inhomogeneity correction, fuzzy c‐means clustering, and active contours segmentation. The MR images of 85 subjects (60 males and 25 females), whose body mass index (BMI) values ranged from 19.96 to 40.35 kg/m2, were analyzed using the fully‐automated algorithm—the automatic method developed in the research and the widely used semi‐automated software (sliceOmatic® Tomovision, Inc.)—the reference method. Results The proposed automated method showed good performance against the reference method to quantify adipose tissues in both single umbilical slice and MRI sequence. The square of the Pearson correlation coefficients (R2) based on the results generated from the two methods for VAT/SAT/TAT were 0.977/0.998/0.997 for single slice data and 0.995/0.999/0.999 for volumetric data. The intra‐class correlation of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) between the three operators was 0.939 in the reference method, which was improved to 0.999 in the automatic method. The adipose tissue measurements in the slice at Lumbar 3 vertebra have the highest correlation with the total fat volumes across the entire abdomen. Conclusion The fully‐automated algorithm presented in the paper provides an accurate and reliable assessment of abdominal fat without human intervention. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:757–766, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 28, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22862   open full text
• Leukocyte changes across menstruation, ovulation, and mid‐luteal phase and association with sex hormone variation.
  Judyta Nowak, Barbara Borkowska, Boguslaw Pawlowski.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 18, 2016
  Objectives Total leukocyte count (white blood cells—WBC) and the count of each subpopulation vary across the menstrual cycle, but results of studies examining the time and direction of these changes are inconsistent and methodologically flawed. Besides, no previous study focused on leukocyte count on the day of ovulation. Methods Blood samples were obtained from 37 healthy and regularly cycling women aged 19.8–36.1 years. Samples were taken three times: during menstruation (M), ovulation (O), and in the mid‐luteal phase (ML). WBC, neutrophils, lymphocytes, mixed cells, progesterone (P,) and estradiol (E) were measured in each of the three target phases of the cycle. Results Compared to menstruation, WBC (P = 0.002) and neutrophils (P < 0.001) increased around ovulation and remained stable in the mid‐luteal phase, whereas lymphocyte and mixed cell counts did not change throughout the menstrual cycle. There were some correlations of sex hormone variation with leukocyte changes between M and O (positive for E and WBC, negative for P and WBC and for P and neutrophil count; P < 0.05), but not between O and ML. Conclusions Peripheral leukocyte changes taking place in the second half of the cycle are already observable on the day of ovulation and they are associated with sex hormone variation. We speculate that these changes may lead to increased immune protection against pathogens at a time when fertilization and implantation typically occur. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:721–728, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 18, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22856   open full text
• What does the mean menarcheal age mean?—An analysis of temporal pattern in variability in a historical swiss population from the 19th and 20th centuries.
  Andreas Lehmann, Christiane Scheffler.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 30, 2016
  Objectives Age at menarche is one of the most important factors when observing growth and development. The aim of this study was to assess the temporal pattern in variability of menarcheal age for a historic Swiss population from the 19th and 20th centuries. Methods Medical health records from the Bernese women's hospital (Switzerland) were analyzed. From 10,081 women of a historical Swiss population (born from 1815 to 1954), menarcheal age was calculated. A possible decline in average menarcheal age and variance and skewness were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics, generalized additive models, and correlation. Results Mean menarcheal age declined from 17.34 years (n = 358) around 1830 to 13.80 years (n = 141) around 1950. Within‐cohort variance decreased from 7.5 to 2.1 year2. Skewness was negatively correlated with birth year (r = −0.58). Conclusion This study provided evidence for a secular trend in various statistical parameters for age at menarche since the 19th century. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of temporal pattern in variability revealed that the secular trend in menarcheal age happened in two phases. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:705–713, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 30, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22854   open full text
• The potential role of irisin in the thermoregulatory responses to mild cold exposure in adults.
  Emily K. Calton, Mario J. Soares, Anthony P. James, Richard J. Woodman.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 23, 2016
  Objectives To determine the acute effect of a mild cold exposure on thermoregulatory thermogenesis and the role of circulating irisin in the process. Methods We studied 22 adults (9 males, 13 females) aged 57.7 ± 10.07 years and body mass index 27.8 ± 4.52 kg/m2. Participants experienced a 90‐min exposure to 20°C and 25°C in a randomized cross‐over design. Resting metabolic rate (RMR), forearm to finger‐tip gradient (FFG), blood pressure (BP), in‐the‐ear temperature (IET), and fasting bloods were measured on each occasion. Results There were significant increases in FFG [mean ± SD: +3.8 ± 3.0°C, P < 0.001], systolic blood pressure (SBP) [+8 ± 13 mm Hg, P = 0.015], and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) [+4 ± 6 mm Hg, P = 0.005] and decreases in IET [−0.24 ± 0.29°C, P = 0.001]. Overall, RMR [+190 ± 570 kJ/d, P = 0.135], irisin, glucose or insulin did not differ between temperatures. There were no significant between‐gender differences, but males significantly increased SBP (+12 ± 16, P = 0.02) and DBP (+6 ± 7, P = 0.02) with decreases in heart rate (−4 ± 3, P = 0.002), while females did not. Moreover men had approximately 50% higher thermogenic response while women had approximately 25% greater vasoconstrictor response. Adjusted for age, gender, insulin sensitivity, and body composition, fold changes in irisin were inversely related to respiratory quotient (r= −0.54, P = 0.048), while IET was related to FFG (r= −0.55, P = 0.043). Conclusions Mild cold exposure increased vasoconstriction with a drop in IET and these were related. Greater irisin was related to a greater fasting fat oxidation in the absence of shivering. A potential gender bias in thermoregulation was noted. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:699–704, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 23, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22853   open full text
• The influence of birth season on mortality in the United States.
  Kitae Sohn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 21, 2016
  Objectives Birth season is related to a variety of later outcomes. Among them, mortality is of great interest because it represents lifetime health outcomes. We examined the relationship between birth season and mortality in the US. Methods We merged the US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and NHIS public‐use linked mortality files and analyzed 17,082 men and 19,075 women who were followed for 20 years from 1986 to 2006. We used the Cox proportional hazards model to relate birth quarter to mortality, controlling for birth year fixed effects. Results After controlling for years of schooling and birth year fixed effects, we found that, relative to men born in the first quarter, men born in the fourth quarter were 11% less likely to die. For women, the benefit was the largest for women born in the third quarter who were 14% less likely to die than women born in the first quarter. In the relationship between birth season and mortality, cardiovascular diseases played a noticeable role for men and malignant neoplasms for women. Conclusions These results were consistent with those for some developed countries, but not entirely with those for contemporary developing countries and developed countries of the past. Simple mechanisms based on the perinatal environment cannot account for the inconsistent results. We suggest that family background may play some, but not an exhaustive, role in the relationship between birth season and mortality. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:662–670, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 21, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22848   open full text
• Y chromosome diversity in a linguistic isolate (Mirandese, NE Portugal).
  Sofia L. Marques, Leonor Gusmão, Antonio Amorim, Maria João Prata, Luis Alvarez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 18, 2016
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to genetically characterize the male lineages of people who speak Mirandese, an interesting case of a linguistic relict that can still be found in the municipality of Miranda do Douro, NE Portugal. This region lies within the area of the Leonese dialects, which are remnants of the Romance dialects spoken in the Kingdom of Leon currently grouped in the Astur–Leonese linguistic continuum. We intended to disclose affinities with surrounding populations, namely from Spain where the Astur–Leonese is also spoken. Methods Eighty‐eight unrelated males (58 from Miranda and 30 from Bragança, the broad Portuguese region where Miranda is located) were genotyped with the combined use of 17 Y chromosome short tandem repeats (Y‐STRs) and a high resolution Y chromosome single nucleotide polymorphism (Y‐SNPs) strategy. Moreover, 236 males from Miranda and neighboring regions, previously classified as R‐M269, were also genotyped. Results R‐P312 was the most frequent haplogroup in the Mirandese, followed by J‐12f2.1 and T‐M70. The male lineages J‐12f2.1 and T‐M70 were also well represented, and both were shared with descendants of Sephardic Jews. No signs of diversity reduction were detected. Conclusions Mirandese speakers display a Y chromosome gene pool that shows a subtle differentiation from neighboring populations, mainly attributable to the assimilation of lineages ascribed to be of Jewish ancestry. Although not revealing signs of geographic/linguistic isolation, no clear affinities with other Astur–Leonese populations were detected. The results suggest that in Miranda language sharing is not accompanied by significant gene flow between populations from both sides of the political border. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:671–680, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 18, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22849   open full text
• Changes in the mandibular angle during adulthood in South Africans.
  Anna C. Oettlé, René Ehlers, Maryna Steyn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 17, 2016
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to measure the mandibular angle as a reflection of the biomechanical forces acting on the mandible and relate it to aging and loss of teeth. Methods A total of 717 mandibles of adult individuals were selected from the Pretoria Bone Collection. These mandibles were allocated to dentition subgroups according to their pattern of tooth loss. The angle of the mandible was measured with a mandibulometer. The variation in the mandibular angle was statistically analyzed by age regressions and comparisons between adjusted means of dentition subgroups. Results Aging per se was not associated with a greater mandibular angle. With limited tooth loss, aging was associated with a smaller mandibular angle in females. Generally the mandibular angle increased with tooth loss and was accentuated when an even occlusion pattern was lost rather than with more extensive tooth loss. A more pronounced increase in mandibular angle with tooth loss was noted in females and individuals of European ancestry. Conclusions Tooth loss and not aging is associated with an increase in the mandibular angle. Masculinity and being from African ancestry provided some protection against an increase in the mandibular angle with tooth loss. The accentuated increase in the mandibular angle when an even occlusion pattern was disturbed supports the notion that an uneven loss of teeth was indeed associated with inefficient mastication. The unexpected decrease in angle noted in females with aging but limited tooth loss may be indicative of constructive changes beyond puberty. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:681–686, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 17, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22850   open full text
• Tattooing to “Toughen up”: Tattoo experience and secretory immunoglobulin A.
  Christopher D. Lynn, Johnna T. Dominguez, Jason A. DeCaro.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 04, 2016
  Objectives A costly signaling model suggests tattooing inoculates the immune system to heightened vigilance against stressors associated with soft tissue damage. We sought to investigate this “inoculation hypothesis” of tattooing as a costly honest signal of fitness. We hypothesized that the immune system habituates to the tattooing stressor in repeatedly tattooed individuals and that immune response to the stress of the tattooing process would correlate with lifetime tattoo experience. Methods Participants were 24 women and 5 men (aged 18–47). We measured immune function using secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cortisol (sCORT) in saliva collected before and after tattoo sessions. We measured tattoo experience as a sum of number of tattoos, lifetime hours tattooed, years since first tattoo, percent of body covered, and number of tattoo sessions. We predicted an inverse relationship between SIgA and sCORT and less SIgA immunosuppression among those with more tattoo experience. We used hierarchical multiple regression to test for a main effect of tattoo experience on post‐tattoo SIgA, controlling for pretest SIgA, tattoo session duration, body mass, and the interaction between tattoo experience and test session duration. Results The regression model was significant (P = 0.006) with a large effect size (r2 = 0.711) and significant and positive main (P = 0.03) and interaction effects (P = 0.014). Conclusions Our data suggest that the body habituates over time to the tattooing stressor. It is possible that individuals with healthy immune systems heal faster, making them more likely to get multiple tattoos. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:603–609, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 04, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22847   open full text
• A three‐dimensional geometric morphometrics view of the cranial shape variation and population history in the New World.
  Manon Galland, Martin Friess.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 29, 2016
  Objectives Craniofacial variation in past and present Amerindians has been attributed to the effect of multiple founder events, or to one major migration followed by in situ differentiation and possibly recurrent contacts among Circum‐Arctic groups. Our study aims to: (i) detect morphological differences that may indicate several migrations; (ii) test for the presence of genetic isolation; and (iii) test the correlation between shape data and competing settlement hypotheses by taking into account geography, chronology, climate effects, the presence of genetic isolation and recurrent gene flow. Methods We analyzed a large sample of three‐dimensional (3D) cranial surface scans (803 specimens) including past and modern groups from America and Australasia. Shape variation was investigated using geometric morphometrics. Differential external gene flow was evaluated by applying genetic concepts to morphometric data (Relethford‐Blangero approach). Settlement hypotheses were tested using a matrix correlation approach (Mantel tests). Results Our results highlight the strong dichotomy between Circum‐Arctic and continental Amerindians as well as the impact of climate adaptation, and possibly recurrent gene flow in the Circum‐Arctic area. There is also evidence for the impact of genetic isolation on phenetic variation in Baja California. Several settlement hypotheses are correlated with our data. Conclusions The three approaches used in this study highlight the importance of local processes especially in Baja California, and caution against the use of overly simplistic models when searching for the number of migration events. The results stress the complexity of the settlement of the Americas as well as the mosaic nature of the processes involved in this process. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:646–661, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 29, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22845   open full text
• Association of genetic variants with skin pigmentation phenotype among populations of west Maharashtra, India.
  Manjari Jonnalagadda, Heather Norton, Shantanu Ozarkar, Shaunak Kulkarni, Richa Ashma.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 26, 2016
  Objectives South Asians exhibit extensive variation in skin melanin index (MI) which is observed across the broader region of South Asia as well as within restricted geographic regions. However, the genetic variants associated with variation in the skin pigmentation phenotype are poorly understood in these populations. The present study examines the association between MI measures and genetic variants from 5 candidate pigmentation genes among 533 individuals representing 6 populations of West Maharashtra. Methods Associations between five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) known to play a role in pigmentation (rs1426654‐SLC24A5, rs1042602‐TYR, rs16891982‐SLC45A2, rs6058017‐ASIP, and rs642742‐KITLG) and MI measures were tested using standard one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) within each population. Multiple linear regression was used to test the effects of these SNPs in the full West Maharashtra sample using sex, age, and population or social group as covariates. Results rs1426654 showed significant association with MI in all six study populations (P < 0.01). Association tests using sex, age, and population as covariates showed rs1426654 and rs1042602 to be significantly (P < 0.01) associated with lighter skin pigmentation in West Maharashtra as a whole. By contrast, when social group was added as a covariate instead of population, rs1426654, rs1042602, and rs16891982 were significantly (P < 0.01) associated with lighter skin pigmentation. Conclusions Only rs1426654 is significantly associated with MI in each individual population; however, rs1426654, rs1042602, and rs16891982 are significantly associated with pigmentation in the broader West Maharashtra region after controlling for population and social group, with rs1426654 (SLC24A5) explaining the majority of the observed variation. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:610–618, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 26, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22836   open full text
• Growth of the pectoral girdle in a sample of juveniles from the kellis 2 cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt.
  Michele M. Bleuze, Sandra M. Wheeler, Lana J. Williams, Tosha L. Dupras.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 23, 2016
  Objectives This study investigates growth patterns in the scapula and clavicle in a cross‐sectional juvenile skeletal sample ranging from 20 weeks gestation to 8.5 years of age from the Kellis 2 cemetery, Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The primary goal is to quantify growth patterns and growth velocities in the scapula and clavicle to better understand the development of the pectoral girdle. Methods A series of low‐order polynomial regression models was used to examine growth curves in clavicle diaphyseal length, scapular height, and scapular width. Incremental growth and relative percent increase were examined among successive age groups as a proxy measure of growth velocity. Scapular body proportions were assessed with the scapular index and compared across age groups using a Kruskal–Wallis test with post‐hoc tests. Results A third‐order polynomial best describes growth in clavicle diaphyseal length and scapular height, and a second‐order polynomial best describes growth in scapular width. Growth velocity patterns are similar among clavicle diaphyseal length, scapular height, and scapular width particularly from birth until the end of early childhood. Clavicle diaphyseal length decelerates during middle childhood while scapular height and width accelerate during this time. With increasing age, the scapular body proportionately increases more in height than in width. The relatively narrow scapular body characteristic of adult scapulae is first evident during early childhood. Conclusions Changes in scapular body shape during ontogeny may be a reflection of the greater alterations taking place in the integrated morphology of the pectoral girdle during the biomechanical shift from crawling to bipedalism. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:636–645, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 23, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22844   open full text
• Genetic determinants of cardiometabolic risk factors in rural families in Brazil.
  Geórgia G. Pena, Angel Martinez‐Perez, Míriam Santos Dutra, Andrea Gazzinelli, Rodrigo Corrêa‐Oliveira, José M. Soria, Gustavo Velasquez‐Melendez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 19, 2016
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to estimate the heritability of genetic and environmental correlations between cardiometabolic risk factors in extended pedigrees. Methods The Jequitinhonha Community Family Study Cohort (JCFSC) consists of individuals aged ≥18 years living in rural villages. Family pedigrees were constructed of the cohort. The following data were collected: demographic and socioeconomic status, lifestyle variables, anthropometrics, and lipid traits. Results The JCFSC consists of 931 individuals distributed into 69 pedigrees with 4,907 members in total. The heritabilities were 0.47 for total cholesterol (TC), 0.44 for triglycerides (TG) and 0.42 for high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), 0.49 for metabolic syndrome, approximately 0.60 for anthropometric traits and 0.30 for blood pressure/hypertension. Significant genetic correlations (ρg) were found mainly between TG and TC (ρg = 0.58) and hypertension and TG (ρg = 0.52). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was correlated with TG (ρg = 0.39) and HDLc (ρg = −0.30). Diastolic blood pressures correlated with TG (ρg=0.56) and TC (ρg=0.30). Genetic correlations were also found between anthropometric traits, including: body mass index (BMI) and TG (ρg=0.34), waist circumference (WC) and TG (ρg=0.42), and WC and HDLc (ρg=‐0.33). Household effects were found for HDLc (c2= 0.19), SBP (c2 = 0.14) and Hypertension (c2= 0.14). Conclusions To some phenotypes, including lipids, hypertension, blood pressure, and anthropometric traits, genetic contribution is important in the determination of cardiometabolic risk factors. This study provides a foundation for future studies. These will mainly focus on rare variants that could describe the genetic mechanisms influencing cardiometabolic risk. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:619–626, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 19, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22842   open full text
• Does allostatic load calculation method matter? Evaluation of different methods and individual biomarkers functioning by race/ethnicity and educational level.
  Jeffrey T. Howard, P. Johnelle Sparks.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 15, 2016
  Objectives Using nationally representative data for adults of age 25 years and older from four waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), collected from 2003 through 2010, this study examines differences in individual health markers used to calculate allostatic load, with particular attention given to stratification by race/ethnicity and educational level. Methods Factor analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was used. Fisher's r to z transformation test was used to determine whether or not observed differences in factor loadings were statistically significant. Results The findings reveal the unidimensionality of the concept of allostatic load and the underlying differences in associations between individual biomarkers and summary measures of allostatic load. Additionally, metabolic processes tend to be the most important predictor of allostatic load for all adults; however, inflammatory measures are more important in determining allostatic load scores for non‐Hispanic blacks compared to non‐Hispanic whites and for adults with less than a college education compared to adults with some college or a college degree. Conclusions These findings highlight the continued importance of studying the concept of “weathering” or allostatic load at the population level and need to better understand how population groups facing exclusion from economic, social, and political power may internalize this position which may cause early health deterioration and ultimate mortality chance through different expression of health insults and premature aging. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:627–635, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 15, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22843   open full text
• C‐reactive protein increases with gestational age during pregnancy among Chinese women.
  Zuguo Mei, Hongtian Li, Mary K. Serdula, RAFAEL C. Flores‐Ayala, Linlin Wang, Jian‐Meng Liu, Laurence M. Grummer‐Strawn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 11, 2016
  Objective To examine the concentration of C‐reactive protein (CRP) in relation to gestational weeks during pregnancy among Chinese women. Methods From a randomized control trial of prenatal supplementation with folic acid, iron‐folic acid, and multiple micronutrients in China, we examined 834 pregnant women with CRP measured initially between 5 and 20 weeks and at follow‐up between 28 and 32 weeks gestation. We calculated and plotted CRP geometric means by gestational weeks. The same analysis was repeated for women who had normal pregnancies (624 women) by excluding women with stillbirth, preterm, small for gestational age, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2 or >30 kg/m2 at enrollment, and hypertension or anemia during pregnancy. Results We observed a significant positive trend between log‐transformed CRP and gestational age from 5 to 20 weeks and from 28 to 32 weeks both in the full sample and in the subset of women who had normal pregnancies. CRP geometric mean was 0.81 mg/l at 5–7 weeks of gestation, 2.85 mg/l at 19–20 weeks of gestation, and 3.89 mg/l at 32 weeks of gestation. A similar increasing trend in the CRP median or percentage of elevated CRP were also observed. Conclusion We concluded that CRP increased with gestational age among healthy Chinese women who delivered healthy infants. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:574–579, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 11, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22837   open full text
• Blood pressure and the capacity‐load model in 8‐year‐old children from Nepal: Testing the contributions of kidney size and intergenerational effects.
  Jonathan C.K. Wells, Delan Devakumar, Carlos S. Grijalva‐Eternod, Dharma S. Manandhar, Anthony Costello, David Osrin.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 05, 2016
  Objectives Growth patterns in early life are increasingly linked with subsequent cardio‐metabolic risk, but the underlying mechanisms require elucidation. We have developed a theoretical model of blood pressure, treating it as a function of homeostatic metabolic capacity, and antagonistic metabolic load. We sought to differentiate prenatal and postnatal components of metabolic capacity, and to identify intergenerational contributions to offspring capacity and load. Methods We followed up at 8 years a cohort of children originally recruited into a randomized trial of maternal micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy. Maternal anthropometry was measured at recruitment. Offspring anthropometry was measured at birth, 2 years and 8 years. Offspring blood pressure, kidney size, and body composition were measured at 8 years. Regression analysis was used to investigate potential associations of maternal phenotype, birth phenotype, and current body composition with kidney size and blood pressure. Results Blood pressure was positively associated with body fat, but negatively associated with birth weight and relative leg length. Kidney size was positively associated with birth weight but not with relative leg length. Adjusting for adiposity, blood pressure was independently negatively associated with birth weight, relative leg length, and kidney length. Maternal height and BMI predicted offspring size at birth and at 8 years, but not blood pressure. Conclusions Our data provide support for the capacity‐load model of blood pressure in Nepalese children. Fetal and postnatal growth and kidney dimensions all contribute to metabolic capacity. Maternal phenotype contributed to offspring capacity and load, but these associations did not propagate to blood pressure. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:555–565, 2016. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

  February 05, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22829   open full text
• Disentangling the associations between parental BMI and offspring body composition using the four‐component model.
  Delan Devakumar, Carlos Grijalva‐Eternod, Mario Cortina‐Borja, Jane Williams, Mary Fewtrell, Jonathan Wells.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 05, 2016
  Objectives This study sets out to investigate the intergenerational associations between the body mass index (BMI) of parents and the body composition of their offspring. Methods The cross‐sectional data were analyzed for 511 parent–offspring trios from London and south‐east England. The offspring were aged 5–21 years. Parental BMI was obtained by recall and offspring fat mass and lean mass were obtained using the four‐component model. Multivariable regression analysis, with multiple imputation for missing paternal values was used. Sensitivity analyses for levels of non‐paternity were conducted. Results A positive association was seen between parental BMI and offspring BMI, fat mass index (FMI), and lean mass index (LMI). The mother's BMI was positively associated with the BMI, FMI, and LMI z‐scores of both daughters and sons and of a similar magnitude for both sexes. The father's BMI showed similar associations to the mother's BMI, with his son's BMI, FMI, and LMI z‐scores, but no association with his daughter. Sensitivity tests for non‐paternity showed that maternal coefficients remained greater than paternal coefficients throughout but there was no statistical difference at greater levels of non‐paternity. Conclusions We found variable associations between parental BMI and offspring body composition. Associations were generally stronger for maternal than paternal BMI, and paternal associations appeared to differ between sons and daughters. In this cohort, the mother's BMI was statistically significantly associated with her child's body composition but the father's BMI was only associated with the body composition of his sons. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:524–533, 2016. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 05, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22825   open full text
• Heterogeneity identified at birth and blood pressure in adulthood.
  Timothy B. Gage, Furrina F. Lee, Erin K. O'Neill, JEFF Napierala, Gregory Dirienzo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 01, 2016
  Objective In the developmental programming literature, the association of birth weight and blood pressure later in life is modest at best. This article reexamines this issue using Covariate Density Defined mixture of regressions (CDDmr) to determine if a latent variable, based on birth weight, and known to influence infant mortality, provides a stronger indicator of developmental programming. Methods CDDmr identifies two latent components in the birth weight distribution, generally interpreted in the infant mortality literature as “compromised” and “normal” fetal development. The data are taken from the 1958 British National Child Development Study. Results In the 1958 cohort, the “compromised” component consists of about 10% of the birth weight distribution. Compared to “normal” births, the mean systolic blood pressure at age 45 of “compromised” births is 20.3 (females) and 26.4 (males) mm Hg higher than “normal” births. The relative risks of stage‐I‐II systolic hypertension (>140 mm Hg) of “compromised” births compared to “normal” births are 10.7 (females) and 4.2 (males). The relative risks of stage‐II systolic hypertension (>160 mm Hg) are considerably higher, 241.6 (females) and 74.3 (males). In general, the highest blood pressures are observed in “compromised” births with birth weights within the normal (about 3.0–3.5 kg) birth weight range. Results for diastolic blood pressure are similar. Conclusions These associations are much stronger than those identified using conventional methods. CDDmr is likely to be useful for studying the dynamics of developmental programming particularly in large cohort studies where birth weight is often the only indicator of programming available. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:545–554, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 01, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22828   open full text
• Is the twin‐singleton difference in BMI related to the difference in birth weight? A register‐based birth cohort study of Norwegian males.
  Willy Eriksen, Kristian Tambs.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 22, 2016
  Objective The aim was to test the hypothesis that the difference in body mass index (BMI) between twins and singletons may be attributed to a difference in birth weight. Methods Data from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway were linked with data from the Norwegian Conscript Service. This study used data on 411,186 males who were born in single or twin births in Norway during 1967 to 1984, and who were examined at the mandatory military conscription (98% were examined the year they turned 18 or 19 years of age). Results The difference in BMI between singletons and twins was 0.49 kg/m2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41, 0.56) after adjustment for background factors and gestational age at birth. When birth weight was added to the model, the difference was reduced to 0.17 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.25). The corresponding figures for sibships that included both singletons and twins were 0.63 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.39, 0.86) and 0.38 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.70) when twins were compared with their singleton brothers. In both the analysis of the total study population and the analysis of the sibships, birth weight was significantly associated with the BMI after adjustment for twin status, gestational age at birth, and background factors. Conclusions Male twins born in Norway during 1967 to 1984 had lower BMI at the military conscription than had singletons, and a part of this difference may probably be attributed to lower intrauterine growth rate among twins. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:566–573, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 22, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22835   open full text
• Salivary but not blood cortisol excretion is associated with metabolic biomarkers in healthy young women.
  Shoko Konishi, Kathleen A. O'Connor.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 18, 2016
  Objectives Elevated and suppressed concentrations of cortisol have been linked with less favorable metabolic biomarkers, such as elevated lipids and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Based on recent work reporting that some individuals secrete more cortisol into saliva (high saliva‐to‐blood cortisol ratio; high secretors) than others after correcting for blood cortisol concentrations, our objectives were to examine (1) whether lipids and glycosylated hemoglobin varied across cortisol and salivary secretor status; and (2) if blood and saliva provide the same results with respect to metabolic markers. Methods Matched saliva and dried blood spot (DBS) specimens collected once a week for four weeks (N = 48 healthy women, 192 specimens) were assayed for cortisol. Fasting blood specimens collected once from each woman were quantified for cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL), triglycerides and HbA1c. Results Low salivary cortisol secretors showed significantly higher triglyceride and HbA1c compared to high‐secretors (P<0.05; t‐test). The only significant correlation with mean blood or salivary cortisol concentration was a negative correlation between salivary cortisol and HbA1c (P = 0.021, r = −0.333). Conclusions Triglycerides, HDL, and especially HbA1c were associated with salivary cortisol secretor status but not with DBS cortisol concentrations. These results suggest that blood and saliva cortisol measures might provide different health outcome information, and that salivary cortisol secretor status may provide additional information on health status. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:539–544, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 18, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22827   open full text
• Cardiorespiratory fitness is related to metabolic risk independent of physical activity in boys but not girls from Southern Brazil.
  Danilo Silva, André O. Werneck, Paul Collings, Crisieli M. Tomeleri, RôMulo A. Fernandes, Enio Ronque, Danielle Venturini, Décio S. Barbosa, Manuel J. Coelho‐E‐Silva, Luís B. Sardinha, Edilson S. Cyrino.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 13, 2016
  Objective Our aim was to determine the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic risk in adolescents from Southern Brazil. Methods We performed a school‐based cross‐sectional study in 1,037 adolescents (436 boys) aged 10–16 years from Londrina, PR, Brazil. CRF was determined by 20‐m shuttle run test. A continuous metabolic risk score was obtained from the mean of fasting glucose, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, blood pressure, and waist circumference z‐scores. Age, physical activity (Baecke questionnaire), body mass index (BMI; weight/stature2), and somatic maturity (Mirwald method) were included as covariates in multiple linear regression analyses. Results CRF was related to metabolic risk in boys (β = −0.02, P < 0.01) and girls (β = −0.01, P = 0.02) after adjusting for chronological age, BMI, and somatic maturity. However, when adjusted for physical activity, CRF failed to explain metabolic risk in girls (β = −0.01, P = 0.24). Conclusion We conclude that CRF is independently and inversely related to metabolic risk in boys, but physical activity either mediates or confounds the association between CRF and metabolic risk in girls. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:534–538, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 13, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22826   open full text
• What could you do with 400 years of biological history on african americans? Evaluating the potential scientific benefit of systematic studies of dental and skeletal materials on African Americans from the 17th through 20th centuries.
  Fatimah Jackson, Latifa Jackson, Christopher Cross, Cameron Clarke.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 09, 2016
  Objectives How important is it to be able to reconstruct the lives of a highly diverse, historically recent macroethnic group over the course of 400 years? How many insights into human evolutionary biology and disease susceptibilities could be gained, even with this relatively recent window into the past? In this article, we explore the potential ramifications of a newly constructed dataset of Four Centuries of African American Biological Variation (4Cs). Methods This article provides initial lists of digitized variables formatted as SQL tables for the 17th and 18th century samples and for the 19th and 20th century samples. Results This database is dynamic and new information is added yearly. The database provides novel opportunities for significant insights into the past biological history of this group and three case study applications are detailed for comparative computational systems biology studies of (1) hypertension, (2) the oral microbiome, and (3) mental health disorders. Conclusions The 4Cs dataset is ideal for interdisciplinary “next generation” science research and these data represent a unique step toward the accumulation of historically contextualized Big Data on an underrepresented group known to have experienced differential survival over time. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:510–513, 2016. © 2016 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published byWiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 09, 2016   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22821   open full text
• Physical fitness differences between rural and urban children from western Kenya.
  Eric R. Castillo, Meshack K. Sang, Timothy K. Sigei, Heather L. Dingwall, Paul Okutoyi, Robert Ojiambo, Erik R. Otárola‐Castillo, Yannis Pitsiladis, Daniel E. Lieberman.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 28, 2015
  Objectives To study the effects of urbanization on physical fitness (PF), we compare PF between urban and rural children from western Kenya. We hypothesize that active rural children are stronger, more flexible, and have greater endurance, and that PF differences are predictive of endurance running performance. Methods We recruited an age‐matched, cross‐sectional sample of participants (55 males, 60 females; 6–17 years) from schools near Eldoret, Kenya. PF and anthropometrics were assessed using the FITNESSGRAM®. General linear mixed models (GLMM) and path analyses tested for age, sex, and activity group differences in PF, as well as the effects of PF variables on mile run time. Results On average, urban participants had greater body mass (36.8 ± 15.9 vs. 31.9 ± 10.9 kg) but were not taller than rural participants (1.4 ± 0.2 vs. 1.4 ± 0.2 cm). Greater urban body mass appears driven by higher body fat (28.2 ± 9.4 vs. 16.8 ± 4.4%), which increased with age in urban but not rural participants. GLMM analyses showed age effects on strength variables (P<0.05) and sex differences in hip flexibility, sit‐ups, and mile run (P<0.05). There were few differences in PF between groups except rural participants had stronger back muscles (18.2 ± 4.5 vs. 14.18 ± 4.3 cm) and faster mile times (6.3 ± 0.7 vs. 7.9 ± 2.0 min). Body composition and abdominal strength were predictive of mile time (P < 0.06), but the path analysis revealed a network of interacting direct and indirect effects that influenced endurance performance. Conclusions Although differences in endurance and body composition are marked between urban and rural groups, strength and flexibility are not always correlated with overall activity levels. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:514–523, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 28, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22822   open full text
• Biological aging and physical fitness in men aged 20–70 years from Kraków, Poland.
  Stanisław Gołąb, Agnieszka Woronkowicz, Łukasz Kryst.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 21, 2015
  Objectives The increasing problem of population aging requires appropriate economic and health‐related measures to mitigate its negative effects. The aim was to categorize the biological age of men between 20 and 70 years of age and assess its relationship to their physical activity and fitness. Methods Data included morphological variables, total body water, the results of five Eurofit motor tests and the percentage of maximum heart rate (HR%), during a cardiovascular test of more than 1,400 20–70 year‐old men living in Kraków. Biological age was estimated with regression equations. Results There were significant and consistent differences in physical fitness profiles between the three established groups of relations between biological and chronological age (biologically younger, equal, and older). These three categories of biological age were generally consistent with the regression analysis of physical fitness results, although declared physical activity seemed to be an independent factor. Conclusions The selected morphological variables represent a set of characteristics useful for the determination of the biological age. The existing relationship between physical activity and biological age indicates that physical activity may contribute to the inhibition of involutional changes, even if it had only been performed regularly in the past. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:503–509, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 21, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22820   open full text
• Residential context, institutional alloparental care, and child growth in Jamaica.
  Robin G. Nelson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 17, 2015
  Objectives Although children are typically raised in familial care networks, not all children have access to kin. Here, I investigate the growth measures of children living in two different residential contexts in Jamaica: institutional care settings and familial homes. Methods This cross‐sectional study sampled individuals ranging from 5–18 years old, residing in children's homes (N = 113 participants) and familial homes (N = 103 participants). Anthropometric measurements and interview data were collected from all participants. Height for age z‐scores (ZHFA) and weight for age z‐scores (ZWFA) were calculated using the 2007 WHO standards. Body fat was estimated from tricep and suprailiac skinfold thickness. Between group comparisons were completed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with age included as a covariate. Significance was accepted at P ≤ 0.05. Results Context was more predictive of condition among children than adolescents. Both girls and boys ages 5–11 years living with family members had higher mean height and weight for age, and summed skinfold thickness measures, than their peers living in children's homes. Fewer correlations between home setting and growth measurements were found among 12–18 year olds. Notably, although children were randomly assigned to children's homes, boys in a single‐sex institution did not differ in growth measurements from boys living with family members. Conclusions Younger children who lived with family members had better growth measurements than their peers living in institutional settings. However, improved growth measures for children living in one home were correlated to nonconventional counseling practices, and nutritional policies that mirror some aspects of familial care. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:493–502, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 17, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22819   open full text
• Birth weight predicted baseline muscular efficiency, but not response of energy expenditure to calorie restriction: An empirical test of the predictive adaptive response hypothesis.
  Megan Workman, Jack Baker, Jane B. Lancaster, Christine Mermier, Joe Alcock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 17, 2015
  Objectives Aiming to test the evolutionary significance of relationships linking prenatal growth conditions to adult phenotypes, this study examined whether birth size predicts energetic savings during fasting. We specifically tested a Predictive Adaptive Response (PAR) model that predicts greater energetic saving among adults who were born small. Methods Data were collected from a convenience sample of young adults living in Albuquerque, NM (n = 34). Indirect calorimetry quantified changes in resting energy expenditure (REE) and active muscular efficiency that occurred in response to a 29‐h fast. Multiple regression analyses linked birth weight to baseline and postfast metabolic values while controlling for appropriate confounders (e.g., sex, body mass). Results Birth weight did not moderate the relationship between body size and energy expenditure, nor did it predict the magnitude change in REE or muscular efficiency observed from baseline to after fasting. Alternative indicators of birth size were also examined (e.g., low v. normal birth weight, comparison of tertiles), with no effects found. However, baseline muscular efficiency improved by 1.1% per 725 g (S.D.) increase in birth weight (P = 0.037). Conclusions Birth size did not influence the sensitivity of metabolic demands to fasting—neither at rest nor during activity. Moreover, small birth size predicted a reduction in the efficiency with which muscles convert energy expended into work accomplished. These results do not support the ascription of adaptive function to phenotypes associated with small birth size. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:484–492, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 17, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22818   open full text
• BaAka women's health and subsistence practices in transitional conservation economies: Variation with age, household size, and food security.
  Carolyn A. Jost Robinson, Melissa J. Remis.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 17, 2015
  Objectives Using ethnographic interviews and biological measures, this article investigates changing health and nutrition of a hunter‐gatherer population transitioning from a forest‐based subsistence system to a horticultural and market‐driven lifestyle. Methods This study represents biological and dietary recall data for adult female foragers (18+; n = 60) across two villages, Mossapoula (MS) and Yandoumbé (YDBE), in the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas (APDS), Central African Republic (CAR). Standard anthropometric measurements (height, weight, skinfolds) and hemoglobin values were collected to assess short‐term nutritional status. Results BMI was similar across all three age classes in YDBE, but differed amongst women of MS (ANOVA; F = 6.34, df = 30, P = 0.005).Values were lowest among the older women in older age class 3 who also had the greatest number of dependents. Overall SS values were significantly negatively correlated with the number of biological children (r = −0.33, P = 0.01) in both villages. Conclusions Here, we identify older BaAka women, caring for their own children and grandchildren, as particularly vulnerable to economic changes and food insecurity. We found older women, especially those in a community with greater restrictions on access to forest resources to have more dependents, reduced market integration, and low BMI relative to younger women in the population. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:453–460, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 17, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22817   open full text
• Analysis of the population genetic structure of Hb D‐Los Angeles [β121 (GH4) Glu→Gln GAA→CAA] in Denizli, Turkey; genetic diversity, historical demography and estimation of the mutation rates based on haplotype variation.
  Onur Ozturk, Sanem Arikan, Ayfer Atalay, Erol O. Atalay.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 17, 2015
  Objective Understanding the genetic origin of the Hb D‐Los Angeles hemoglobin may elucidate population interactions such as movements, migrations, and environmental effects on mutation mechanisms in human biology throughout history. Our study aimed to understand the genetic origin of Hb D‐Los Angeles based on haplotype data, observed in the Denizli province of Turkey. Methods We studied DNA samples from 40 unrelated patients with abnormal hemoglobin Hb D‐Los Angeles and 59 unrelated healthy subjects from our DNA bank. Possible associated haplotypes, HWE, genetic diversity and population differentiation, population genetic structure analysis and historical‐demographic analysis for the two populations were determined by Arlequin ver. 3.5. Results Molecular diversity results from the two populations show that both populations are genetically similar as far as development and expansion during the historical period. Historical gene flow results show high gene flow between the two populations. SSD and rg tests failed to reject the null hypothesis of population expansion which is consistent with unimodal distribution. Our estimated τ values show that the average time since the demographic expansion for normal and Hb D‐Los Angeles populations ranged from approximately 42,000–38,000 ybp, respectively. Conclusions Our data suggest that the Hb D‐Los Angeles population originated within the normal population in Denizli, Turkey. Our results support the hypothesis that the Hb D‐Los Angeles mutation may have originated in the Mediterranean area, independent from other populations such as India and China. The evaluation of such data may contribute valuable information to anthropological, paleoclimatic, archaeological, and phylogeographical approaches to human biology throughout the historical period. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:476–483, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 17, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22816   open full text
• Girls’ physical activity and sedentary behaviors: Does sexual maturation matter? A cross‐sectional study with HBSC 2010 Portuguese survey.
  Adilson Marques, Cátia Branquinho, Margarida Gaspar De Matos.
  American Journal of Human Biology. December 01, 2015
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between girls’ sexual maturation (age of menarche) and physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Methods Data were collected from a national representative sample of girls in 2010 (pre‐menarcheal girls n = 583, post‐menarcheal girls n = 741). Physical activity (times/week and hours/week) and screen‐based sedentary time (minutes/day) including television/video/DVD watching, playing videogames, and computer use were self‐reported. Results Pre‐menarcheal girls engaged significantly more times in physical activity in the last 7 days than post‐menarcheal girls (3.5 ± 1.9 times/week vs. 3.0 ± 1.7 times/week, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between pre‐menarcheal and post‐menarcheal girls in time (hours/week) spent in physical activity. Post‐menarcheal girls spent significantly more minutes per day than pre‐menarcheal girls watching TV, playing videogames, and using computers on weekdays (TV: 165.2 ± 105.8 vs. 136.0 ± 106.3, P < 0.001; videogames 72.0 ± 84.8 vs. 60.3 ± 78.9, P = 0.015; computer: 123.3 ± 103.9 vs. 82.8 ± 95.8, P < 0.001) and on weekends (TV: 249.0 ± 116.2 vs. 209.3 ± 124.8, P < 0.001; videogames: 123.0 ± 114.0 vs. 104.7 ± 103.5, P = 0.020; computer: 177.0 ± 122.2 vs. 119.7 ± 112.7, P < 0.001). After adjusting analyses for age, BMI, and socioeconomic status, differences were still significant for physical activity and for computer use. Conclusion Specific interventions should be designed for girls to increase their physical activity participation and decrease time spent on the computer, for post‐menarcheal girls in particular. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:471–475, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  December 01, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22814   open full text
• Household‐level predictors of maternal mental health and systemic inflammation among infants in Mwanza, Tanzania.
  Jason A. Decaro, Mange Manyama, Warren Wilson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 23, 2015
  Objectives Household conditions and culturally/socially variable childcare practices influence priming of the inflammatory response during infancy. Maternal mental health may partially mediate that effect. Among mother–infant dyads in Mwanza, Tanzania, we hypothesized that poorer maternal mental health would be associated with adverse household ecology, lower social capital, and greater inflammation among infants under the age of one; and that mental health would mediate any effects of household ecology/social capital on inflammation. Methods We collected dried blood spots from mother–infant dyads (N = 88) at health centers near Mwanza, Tanzania. To assess household ecology and social capital, we conducted interviews with mothers using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, the MacArthur Subjective Social Status Scale, and a household wealth inventory. We employed the Hopkins Symptom Checklist to assess maternal mental health. A high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (CRP) assay was used to quantify inflammation. Results Severe food insecurity (OR: 5.16), lower subjective social status (r = −0.32), and lower household wealth (r = −0.26) were associated with high symptoms of maternal depression. Lower household wealth (r = −0.21) and severe food insecurity (OR: 2.52) were associated with high anxiety. High depression symptoms (OR: 2.56) and severe food insecurity (OR: 2.77) each were associated with greater‐than‐median infant CRP. However, mediation was not supported. Conclusions Maternal mental health should be considered alongside nutritional status, pathogen exposure, and education as a potential driver of very early innate immune system development. Proximal mechanisms warrant further investigation. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:461–470, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  November 23, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22807   open full text
• Developmental patterns of bilateral asymmetry in ancestral puebloans.
  Erin B. Waxenbaum, Kendra A. Sirak.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 14, 2015
  Objectives Producing and maintaining a bilaterally symmetric phenotype throughout the lifespan is energetically demanding. Over the course of an individual's life, various intrinsic and external stressors impact the growth trajectory. These perturbations can compromise the allocation of energetic resources to processes that maintain developmental precision, potentially resulting in bilateral asymmetry (BA). Because different stressors are present during the lifespan, BA is a valuable tool for examining the unique factors impacting symmetrical growth and development. This study examines BA in paired long bones across a developmental skeletal series. Methods The humeri, radii, femora, and tibiae of 198 individuals from Ancestral Puebloan New Mexico (919–1670 CE) are analyzed to explore BA across development. Individuals are separated into five age categories, and by sex when possible, to explore patterns of BA. Results Significant BA is found in the bones of the upper limb when the interaction between bone and age is examined. Results suggest that BA in the humerus and radius becomes more right‐biased with age. These directional trends are not observed in the lower limbs. Division into age categories illuminates patterns of asymmetry associated with age‐related activities and physiological maturity, indicating that BA is differentially affected by varying environmental stressors across development. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that BA in long bones is influenced by environmental stressors that impact an individual's ability to produce symmetric morphological traits over the lifespan. Right‐biased BA in the upper limb bones indicates that this variation from a symmetric ideal is strongly influenced by handedness resulting from habitual manual activities. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:421–430, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  November 14, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22804   open full text
• Accelerometer‐measured physical activity among older adults in urban India: Results of a study on global AGEing and adult health substudy.
  J. Josh Snodgrass, Melissa A. Liebert, Tara J. Cepon‐Robins, Tyler M. Barrett, Arvind Mathur, Somnath Chatterji, Paul Kowal.
  American Journal of Human Biology. November 14, 2015
  Objectives Accelerometry provides researchers with a powerful tool to measure physical activity in population‐based studies, yet this technology has been underutilized in cross‐cultural studies of older adults. The present study was conducted among older adults in an urban setting in India with the following three objectives: (1) to compare average activity levels obtained through different durations of monitoring (1, 3, and 7 days); (2) to document differences in physical activity patterns by sex and age; and (3) to evaluate links between measures of physical activity and anthropometrics, as well as between activity parameters and measures of household size, work status, and social cohesion. Methods The present study uses data from a physical activity substudy of the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE‐PA). This study of 200 older adults (49–90 years old; 72 males, 128 females) in urban India combines 7 continuous days of ActiGraph GT3X accelerometry with anthropometric and sociodemographic data. Results Results reveal overall low activity levels, with significantly lower activity energy expenditure (AEE) among females (P < 0.05). No significant differences were documented in activity level by monitoring duration. Age was negatively correlated with AEE in men (P < 0.01) and women (P < 0.001). AEE was positively correlated with BMI in men (P < 0.01) and women (P < 0.05). Finally, women who were more socially integrated had greater AEE (P < 0.01). Conclusions This study illustrates the utility of accelerometry for quantifying activity levels in aging populations in non‐Western nations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:412–420, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  November 14, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22803   open full text
• Biosocial correlates and spatial distribution of consanguinity in South America.
  Ruben Bronberg, Juan Gili, Lucas Gimenez, Jose Dipierri, Jorge Lopez Camelo.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 30, 2015
  Objective To analyze potential biosocial factors in consanguineous unions according to the level of consanguinity and its spatial distribution in South America. Methods The data used came from the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations. Information on 126,213 nonmalformed newborns out of 6,014,749 births was used. This information was collected between 1967 and 2011 at 204 hospitals in 116 cities in 10 South American countries. The spatial scan statistic was performed under a model of nonhierarchical k‐means segmentation, based on statistically significant clusters, areas with levels of high, medium, and low consanguinity were determined. Results Consanguinity in South America is heterogeneously distributed, with two groups of high consanguinity, in northwestern Venezuela and southeast of Brazil, and two clusters of low consanguinity located in the south of the continent, mainly Argentina. The socio‐demographic factors associated with consanguinity influence the population structure in areas of high consanguinity. Conclusions This study demonstrates that consanguinity in the South American continent is strongly associated with a greater magnitude of poverty in the area of high consanguinity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:405–411, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 30, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22802   open full text
• Ethnic differences in the consistency and accuracy of perceived exertion.
  S. Katherine Sweatt, Jane Roy, Paula Chandler‐Laney, Gordon Fisher, David Brock, Gary Hunter.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 30, 2015
  Objectives This study investigated the effect of weight loss and weight regain on accuracy of perceived exertion (APE) in previously overweight African American (AA) and European American (EA) women. Methods Formerly overweight women (n = 102, age 20–44 years) completed a weight loss program to achieve BMI < 25 kg/m2. Physiological variable of exertion and rating of perceived exertion (RPE, Borg's 6–20 Scale) were recorded during submaximal aerobic exercise prior to, immediately following, and approximately 1 year after weight loss. APE was defined as the composite score of physiological variables (heart rate, ventilation rate, and respiratory exchange ratio) minus RPE. Results APE was significantly different from the composite score of physiological variables at baseline and at 1‐year follow‐up for EA women (0.347 ± 0.88 P < 0.05 and 0.53 ± 0.92, P < 0.01, respectively) and at 1‐year follow‐up for AA (−0.37 ± 1.1, P < 0.01). EA women had lower physiological effort at baseline and 1‐year follow‐up states (−0.24 ± 0.66 P < 0.05; and, −0.27 ± 0.84 P < 0.05, respectively). AA women had higher physiological effort, at 1‐year follow‐up state (0.21 ± 0.61, P < 0.01). Conclusions Physiologic effort and perceived exertion contributed independently to the racial differences in APE, and APE may be an important trait to evaluate before planning an exercise intervention. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:398–404, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 30, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22801   open full text
• Modeling longitudinal changes in hypertensive and waist phenotype: The oporto growth, health, and performance study.
  Michele Souza, Joey Eisenmann, Fernanda Santos, Thayse Gomes, Sara Pereira, Claudia Forjaz, José Maia.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 30, 2015
  Objectives This study aimed to: (1) model changes in the hypertensive and waist phenotype (HWP) in youth, and (2) investigate the effects of sex, biological maturation, total physical activity (TPA), and physical fitness (PF) in HWP trajectories. Methods Data were obtained annually for 3 years from the Oporto Growth, Health, and Performance Study, and comprised 5,549 adolescents (2,732 girls) divided into four age cohorts (10, 12, 14, and 16 years). The HWP was computed as the sum of the standardized score of waist circumference and mean arterial pressure. Biological maturation was indirectly assessed by the maturity offset procedure; TPA was estimated with the Baecke questionnaire; PF measures included 1‐mile run/walk, 50‐yard dash (50YD), standing long jump (SLJ), handgrip strength (HGr), and agility shuttle run. Longitudinal changes in HWP were analyzed using multilevel modelling. Results HWP increased across time with a nonlinear trend in girls and boys. However, when adjusted for a set of predictors, the trend was reversed: girls and boys had a significant annual decrease on HWP of −0.202 ± 0.032 and −0.147 ± 0.032, respectively. Maturity offset was positively associated with HWP changes (β = 0.913 ± 0.023); TPA had a negative association (β = −0.027 ± 0.011); and improved PF tests were associated with a significant reduction in HWP across time (β1mile = −0.081 ± 0.009; βSLJ = −0.003 ± 0.00; β50YD=0.106 ± 0.020; and βHGr = −3.335 ± 0.196). Conclusions Boys showed higher HWP values compared to girls from 10 to 18 years of age. Adolescents who were more biologically mature had a more adverse HWP. Longitudinal increases in TPA and PF predicted annual decreases in HWP across the adolescence years.Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:387–393, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 30, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22799   open full text
• Predictive validity of the body adiposity index in costa rican students.
  Elizabeth Carpio‐Rivera, Jessenia Hernández‐Elizondo, Alejandro Salicetti‐Fonseca, Andrea Solera‐Herrera, José Moncada‐Jiménez.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 26, 2015
  Objective To verify the validity of the body adiposity index (BAI) in a sample of Costa Rican students. Methods Volunteers were 93 females (mean age = 18.6 ± 2.4 years) and 106 males (mean age = 19.2 ± 2.8 years). Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used as the “gold standard” to determine body fat percentage (BF%). Pearson's correlation coefficient and paired samples t‐test studied the association and mean differences between BAI and DXA BF%. Concordance between BAI and DXA BF% was determined by the Lin's concordance correlation coefficient and the Bland‐Altman agreement analysis. Results Significant correlations between BAI and DXA BF% were found for females (r = 0.74) and males (r = 0.53) (P < 0.001). Differences between methods were found for females (BAI = 29.3 ± 4.1% vs. DXA = 36.5 ± 7.9%) and males (BAI = 24.8 ± 3.7% vs. DXA = 21.9 ± 8.6%; P < 0.001). Concordance was poor in females and males. Bland‐Altman plots showed BAI underestimating and overestimating BF% in relation to the “gold standard” in females and males, respectively. Conclusions BAI presented low agreement with BF% measured by DXA; therefore, BAI is not recommended for BF% prediction in this Central American sample studied. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:394–397, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 26, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22800   open full text
• FTO polymorphism, cardiorespiratory fitness, and obesity in Brazilian youth.
  Cézane Priscila Reuter, Andréia Rosane De Moura Valim, Anelise Reis Gaya, Tássia Silvana Borges, Elisa Inês Klinger, Lia Gonçalves Possuelo, Silvia Isabel Rech Franke, Lívia Kmetzsch, Marilene Henning Vainstein, Daniel Prá, Miria Suzana Burgos.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 12, 2015
  Objectives The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the rs9939609 fat mass and obesity‐associated (FTO) polymorphism and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with overweight/obesity outcomes in youth. Methods This study included 420 youths, comprising 211 boys and 209 girls aged 7–17. Overweight/obesity were evaluated by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and the percentage of fat (PF) according to two skinfold thickness measurements. Genotyping of the rs9939609 polymorphism was conducted using real‐time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) utilizing TaqMan® probes, and CRF was evaluated through a 9‐minute run/walk test, categorized as fit or unfit. Logistic regression was utilized to evaluate a possible association between the polymorphism and CRF, with three obesity indicators evaluated. Results Individuals with the genotype risk (AA) of FTO polymorphism rs9939609 showed higher prevalence of overweight/obesity, as evaluated by BMI (OR: 3.21; CI: 1.71–6.05), WC (OR: 2.59; CI: 1.35–4.97), and PF (OR: 2.59; CI: 1.36–4.92). Additionally, students with the AA genotype in the unfit model had a significant odds ratio for obesity (OR: 4.40; CI: 1.83–10.61 for BMI; OR: 3.54; CI: 1.58–7.96 for WC), whereas we did not observe associations between the AA genotype with BMI and WC using the fit model. Conversely, PF was associated with the AA genotype only in the fit model (OR: 3.24; CI: 1.26–8.34). Conclusions This study demonstrated that the rs9939609 (FTO) polymorphism showed a relationship with obesity in the population studied and an interaction with CRF. Students with low levels of CRF and the AA genotype have a higher risk of being overweight/obese. This association was not found in students with higher levels of CRF. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:381–386, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 12, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22798   open full text
• The allocation and interaction model: A new model for predicting total energy expenditure of highly active humans in natural environments.
  Cara Ocobock.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 12, 2015
  Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a new model, the Allocation and Interaction Model (AIM), to better predict human total energy expenditure (TEE) among a group of highly active humans living in a variety of natural environments. AIM estimates were tested to determine if it produces more accurate TEE predictions than the Factorial Method. Methods AIM includes metabolic cost terms for basal metabolic rate, thermoregulation, and the thermic effect of food, as well as more accurate activity cost estimations. AIM was tested using doubly labeled water and Flex‐Heart Rate (Flex‐HR)‐measured TEEs of healthy, highly active adults (N = 59) participating in National Outdoor Leadership School semester‐long courses. Data from a month‐long pilot study (N = 6) were also included. Results AIM produced TEE estimates that were not significantly different from measured energy expenditure values. Overall, AIM came within 4.1% of measured values; the Factorial Method underestimated by over 25%. At TEEs greater than 3,000 kcal day−1, AIM underestimated TEE by 11% compared to 31.6% by the Factorial Method. Also, at TEEs greater than 3,000 kcal day−1, the Flex‐HR method overestimated TEE by 17%. Conclusions This analysis demonstrated that AIM is more accurate than the Factorial Method for predicting TEE across a range of climates and physical activity levels. This suggests that AIM should be used in place of the Factorial Method for estimating human TEE. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:372–380, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 12, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22797   open full text
• Anthropometric measurement standardization in the US‐affiliated pacific: Report from the Children's Healthy Living Program.
  Fenfang Li, Lynne R. Wilkens, Rachel Novotny, Marie K. Fialkowski, Yvette C. Paulino, Randall Nelson, Andrea Bersamin, Ursula Martin, Jonathan Deenik, Carol J. Boushey.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 12, 2015
  Objectives Anthropometric standardization is essential to obtain reliable and comparable data from different geographical regions. The purpose of this study is to describe anthropometric standardization procedures and findings from the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program, a study on childhood obesity in 11 jurisdictions in the US‐Affiliated Pacific Region, including Alaska and Hawai‘i. Methods Zerfas criteria were used to compare the measurement components (height, waist, and weight) between each trainee and a single expert anthropometrist. In addition, intra‐ and inter‐rater technical error of measurement (TEM), coefficient of reliability, and average bias relative to the expert were computed. Results From September 2012 to December 2014, 79 trainees participated in at least 1 of 29 standardization sessions. A total of 49 trainees passed either standard or alternate Zerfas criteria and were qualified to assess all three measurements in the field. Standard Zerfas criteria were difficult to achieve: only 2 of 79 trainees passed at their first training session. Intra‐rater TEM estimates for the 49 trainees compared well with the expert anthropometrist. Average biases were within acceptable limits of deviation from the expert. Coefficient of reliability was above 99% for all three anthropometric components. Conclusions Standardization based on comparison with a single expert ensured the comparability of measurements from the 49 trainees who passed the criteria. The anthropometric standardization process and protocols followed by CHL resulted in 49 standardized field anthropometrists and have helped build capacity in the health workforce in the Pacific Region. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:364–371, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 12, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22796   open full text
• Comparative study of reproductive skew and pair‐bond stability using genealogies from 80 small‐scale human societies.
  Ryan M. Ellsworth, Mary K. Shenk, Drew H. Bailey, Robert S. Walker.
  American Journal of Human Biology. October 01, 2015
  Objectives Genealogies contain information on the prevalence of different sibling types that result from past reproductive behavior. Full sibling sets stem from stable monogamy, paternal half siblings primarily indicate male reproductive skew, and maternal half siblings reflect unstable pair bonds. Methods Full and half sibling types are calculated for a total of 61,181 siblings from published genealogies for 80 small‐scale societies, including foragers, horticulturalists, agriculturalists, and pastoralists from around the world. Results Most siblings are full (61%) followed by paternal half siblings (27%) and maternal half siblings (13%). Paternal half siblings are positively correlated with more polygynous marriages, higher at low latitudes, and slightly higher in nonforagers, Maternal half sibling fractions are slightly higher at low latitudes but do not vary with subsistence. Partible paternity societies in Amazonia have more paternal half siblings indicating higher male reproductive skew. Conclusions Sibling counts from genealogies provide a convenient method to simultaneously investigate the reproductive skew and pair‐bond stability dimensions of human mating systems cross‐culturally. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:335–342, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  October 01, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22785   open full text
• How does childhood socioeconomic hardship affect reproductive strategy? Pathways of development.
  Paula Sheppard, Mark S. Pearce, Rebecca Sear.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 26, 2015
  Objectives In high‐income populations, evidence suggests that socioeconomic disadvantage early in life is correlated with reproductive strategy. Children growing up in unfavorable rearing environments tend to experience earlier sexual maturity and first births. Earlier first births may be associated with higher fertility, but links between socioeconomic disadvantage and larger family size have rarely been tested. The pathways through which early disadvantage influences reproduction are unknown. We test whether physiological factors link childhood adversity to age at first birth and total children. Methods Using data from the Newcastle Thousand Families Study, a 1947 British birth cohort, we developed path models to identify possible physiological traits linking childhood socioeconomic status, and poor housing standards, to two reproductive outcomes: age at first birth and total children. We explored birth weight, weight gain after birth, childhood illnesses, body mass index at age 9, age at menarche, and adult height as possible mediators. Results We found direct, negative effects of socioeconomic status (SES) and housing on age at first birth, and of housing on fertility. Although we found links between childhood disadvantage and menarche and height, neither of these were significantly correlated with either reproductive outcome. Age at first birth completely mediates the relationship between childhood adversity and total fertility, which we believe has not been empirically demonstrated before. Conclusions While there are some links between childhood adversity and child health, we find little evidence that physiological pathways, such as child health and growth, link early childhood adversity to reproductive outcomes in this relatively well‐nourished population. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:356–363, 2016. © 2015 The Authors American Journal of Human Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  September 26, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22793   open full text
• Women's facial attractiveness is related to their body mass index but not their salivary cortisol.
  Chengyang Han, Amanda C. Hahn, Claire I. Fisher, Lisa M. Debruine, Benedict C. Jones.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 26, 2015
  Objectives Although many theories of human facial attractiveness propose positive correlations between facial attractiveness and measures of actual health, evidence for such correlations is somewhat mixed. Here we sought to replicate a recent study reporting that women's facial attractiveness is independently related to both their adiposity and cortisol. Methods Ninety‐six women provided saliva samples, which were analyzed for cortisol level, and their height and weight, which were used to calculate their body mass index (BMI). A digital face image of each woman was also taken under standardized photographic conditions and rated for attractiveness. Results There was a significant negative correlation between women's facial attractiveness and BMI. By contrast, salivary cortisol and facial attractiveness were not significantly correlated. Conclusions Our results suggest that the types of health information reflected in women's faces include qualities that are indexed by BMI but do not necessarily include qualities that are indexed by cortisol. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:352–355, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  September 26, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22792   open full text
• Geographic variation in nasal cavity form among three human groups from the Japanese Archipelago: Ecogeographic and functional implications.
  Hitoshi Fukase, Tsuyoshi Ito, Hajime Ishida.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 08, 2015
  Objectives Geographic variation in human nasal form has often been interpreted as a climatic adaptation, owing to the nasal air‐conditioning function. The aim of this study was to further address morphofunctional issues of the nasal cavity, using three human groups from subarctic, temperate, and subtropical regions of the Japanese Archipelago: prehistoric Okhotsk, early‐modern Honshu and Okinawa groups. Methods Using three‐dimensional coordinates of craniometric landmarks surrounding the nasal cavity, we compared linear measurements regarding nasal cavity form among the three groups and also conducted 3D geometric morphometrics. Results Both linear measurements and morphometric analyses corroborate the previously reported covariation pattern of nasal cavity shape with climate, where humans from a cold/dry climate tend to possess a relatively tall, narrow, and deep nasal cavity compared with those from a warm/humid environment. The northern Okhotsk group had overall larger cranial airways, which may be attributable to their large facial skeleton. However, the ratio of nasal/bimaxillary breadth was significantly lower in the Okhotsk group, indicating that maxillary size does not necessarily constrain the nasal breadth. In addition, despite the presence of obvious geographic clines in anterior nasal shape, posterior choanal shape lacked the north‐south geographic cline. This suggests a certain level of morphofunctional independence between the anterior and posterior nasal openings. Conclusions The observed geographic variations must, however, be partly considered as a reflection of different ancestral traits and population histories of the three groups. Nevertheless, the results indicate that intergroup variations in nasal cavity morphology can be largely explained by climatic conditions. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:343–351, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  September 08, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22786   open full text
• Inverse association between height increase and LDL cholesterol during puberty: A 3‐year follow‐up study of the Fukuroi City.
  Yuki Fujita, Katsuyasu Kouda, Harunobu Nakamura, Masayuki Iki.
  American Journal of Human Biology. September 08, 2015
  Objectives Few studies have reported on the association between changes in serum low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) and height increase. We investigated the association between LDL‐C change and height increase during puberty in a 3‐year follow‐up study in Fukuroi City, Japan. Methods The source population was all fifth grade 2,515 students enrolled in any public school in Fukuroi, Japan in 2008, 2009, and 2010. The follow‐up survey was conducted in eighth grade students in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In total, 2,225 adolescents were followed. To evaluate the relationships between height increases and changes in LDL‐C, a regression analysis was conducted after stratification by tertiles of weight change (LW: lowest group, MW: middle group, and HW: highest group). Results In each weight change tertile, serum LDL‐C significantly decreased from the lowest to highest tertiles of height change (LW: regression coefficient (B) = −0.12, MW: B = −0.07, HW: B = −0.08 in males; MW: B = −0.17, HW: B = −0.14 in females). The association between height increases and LDL‐C was significantly stronger than that between weight increases and LDL‐C (male: B = −0.609 and 95% CI −0.836 to −0.382 in height, B = 0.008 and 95% CI −0.193 to 0.209 in weight; female: B = −0.963 and 95% CI −1.301 to −0.624 in height, B = 0.366 and 95% CI 0.058–0.675 in weight). Conclusions Serum LDL‐C decreased with increasing height, independent of increases in weight. The association between LDL‐C and height is stronger than that between LDL‐C and weight. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:330–334, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  September 08, 2015   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22784   open full text
• Is there an influence of modern life style on skeletal build?
  Christiane Scheffler, Michael Hermanussen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 21, 2014
  Objectives Modern human life style has led to significant decrease in everyday physical activity and bipedal locomotion. It has previously been shown that skeletal robustness (relative elbow breadth) is associated with daily step counts. The aim of the study was to investigate whether also other skeletal measures, particularly pelvic breadth may have changed in recent decades. Methods We re‐analyzed elbow breadth, pelvic breadth (bicristal), and thoracic depth and breadth, of up to 28,975 healthy females and 28,288 healthy males aged 3–18 years from cross‐sectional anthropological surveys performed between 1980 and 2012 by the Universities of Potsdam and Berlin, Germany. Results Relative elbow breadth (Frame index) significantly decreased in both sexes since 1980 (<0.001). The trend toward slighter built was even more pronounced in absolute and relative pelvic breadth. In contrast, equivalent changes of parts of the skeletal system that are not involved in bipedal locomotion such as thoracic breadth, thoracic depth, and the thoracic index were absent. Conclusions The present investigation confirms the decline in relative elbow breadth in recent decades. Analogue, but even more pronounced changes were detected in pelvic breadth that coincides with the modern decline in upright locomotion. The findings underscore the phenotypic plasticity of humans while adapting to new environmental conditions. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 21, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22561   open full text
• IL‐6(−572/−597) polymorphism and expression in HBV disease chronicity in an Indian population.
  Roli Saxena, Yogesh Kumar Chawla, Indu Verma, Jyotdeep Kaur.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 20, 2014
  Objectives This study evaluated the association among IL‐6(−572) and IL‐6(−597) genotypes, haplotypes, mRNA, and protein levels with hepatitis B virus (HBV)–Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in India. Methods For this, 403 participants (153 controls, 61 inactive HBV‐carriers, 65 chronic‐active HBV patients, 63 HBV‐cirrhotics, and 61 HBV–HCC participants) were enrolled in the study. Polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP), ELISA, and RT‐PCR methods were used for assessing polymorphism, protein, and the mRNA levels, respectively, of IL‐6. Results The study revealed that the IL‐6(−572) GC genotype shared a positive association with hepatitis among controls, and a negative association with cirrhosis and consequent HCC development among carriers. However, the CC genotype shared a significant negative association with cirrhosis among controls and carriers. The IL‐6(−597G>A), GA genotype acted as a potential protective factor for hepatitis, cirrhosis, and subsequent HCC development among carriers. The GA and CG haplotypes acted as a vital risk factor for HCC among controls and carriers. On the contrary, the CA haplotype was found to be a potential protective factor for HCC among carriers. Besides, the IL‐6 levels significantly increased with cirrhosis development, as compared to carriers and hepatitis subjects. Conclusions These preliminary findings indicate a potential role of IL‐6(−572/−597) genotypes in HBV disease pathogenesis in an Indian population. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 20, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22562   open full text
• Comparative analysis of facial morphology between Okinawa Islanders and mainland Japanese using three‐dimensional images.
  Eri Miyazato, Kyoko Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Fukase, Hajime Ishida, Ryosuke Kimura.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 17, 2014
  Objectives Differences in facial height and breadth between Okinawa Islanders and mainland Japanese have been reported in previous craniometric and somatometric studies. This study using three‐dimensional (3D) images aimed to identify more detailed characteristics of facial morphology in each population. Methods Using a hand‐held 3D scanner, we obtained 60 facial surface images each from Okinawa Islanders and mainland Japanese. Twenty‐one landmarks were plotted on a computer and 27 measurements of distances and angles between the landmarks were taken. Statistical analyses such as t test, principal component analysis (PCA), regression analysis, and discriminant analysis were performed to identify sex and regional differences, the patterns of facial features, factors explaining the facial patterns, and other features. Results Okinawa Islanders showed lower facial and nasal heights than mainland Japanese. Furthermore, we identified larger protrusions of the glabella and nasal root in Okinawa Islanders than in mainland Japanese. In the PCA, we observed components of facial shape patterns. These components mainly represented facial size (PC1), facial depth (PC2), the prominence of the glabella and nasal root (PC3), and facial breadth (PC4). We identified that the population difference is strongly associated with PC3. Conclusions This study quantitatively identified differences in the facial morphology between Okinawa Islanders and mainland Japanese using 3D digital images, with special emphases on the differences in the nasal height and the prominence of the glabella and nasal root. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 17, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22560   open full text
• Non‐linear associations between stature and mate choice characteristics for American men and their spouses.
  Gert Stulp, Melinda Mills, Thomas V. Pollet, Louise Barrett.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 12, 2014
  Objectives Although male height is positively associated with many aspects of mate quality, average height men attain higher reproductive success in US populations. We hypothesize that this is because the advantages associated with taller stature accrue mainly from not being short, rather than from being taller than average. Lower fertility by short men may be a consequence of their and their partner's lower scores on aspects of mate quality. Taller men, although they score higher on mate quality compared to average height men, may have lower fertility because they are more likely to be paired with taller women, who are potentially less fertile. Methods We analyzed data from The Integrated Health Interview Series (IHIS) of the United States (N = 165,606). Segmented regression was used to examine patterns across the height continuum. Results On all aspects of own and partner quality, shorter men scored lower than both average height and taller men. Height more strongly predicted these aspects when moving from short to average height, than when moving from average to taller heights. Women of a given height who scored lower on mate quality also had shorter partners. Conclusions Shorter men faced a double disadvantage with respect to both their own mate quality and that of their spouses. Scores of taller men were only marginally higher than those of average height men, suggesting that being tall is less important than not being short. Although effect sizes were small, our results may partly explain why shorter and taller men have lower fertility than those of average stature. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 12, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22559   open full text
• Testing hypothesized predictors of immune activation in tanzanian infants and children: Community, household, caretaker, and child effects.
  Craig Hadley, Jason A. Decaro.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 12, 2014
  Objectives There is increasing interest in the epidemiology of immune activation among young children because of the links with mortality and growth. We hypothesized that infant and child inflammation, as measured by elevated C‐reactive protein (CRP), would be associated with household assets, household size, measures of sanitation, and food insecurity. We also hypothesized that children in the poorest households and with elevated CRP would show evidence of growth faltering. Methods A nationally representative cross‐sectional study of Tanzania children 6–59 months of age. Survey data, anthropometrics, and dried blood spots were available for 1,387 children. Measures of elevated CRP (CRP ≥ 1.1 mg/l) were used to assess inflammation. Results Fifty‐four percent of the sample had CRP ≥ 1.1 mg/l. In bivariate analyses, several measures of sanitation were associated with elevated CRP but in multiple regression models only age, sex, literacy, maternal reports of illness, household size, and living in the wealthiest households predicted CRP. There were no associations between elevated CRP and any measure of child growth. Conclusions Among children in Tanzania, a single elevated CRP does not predict poor growth functioning. Elevated CRP is associated with individual, caretaker, household, and community‐level variables. Future work should strive to measure local biologies in more nuanced ways. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 12, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22558   open full text
• When and for whom are relative age effects important? evidence from a simple test of cardiorespiratory fitness.
  Scott Veldhuizen, Terrance J. Wade, John Cairney, John A. Hay, Brent E. Faught.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 06, 2014
  Objectives When individuals of different ages are combined into a single group and an ability that varies with age is measured, younger individuals are disadvantaged. This phenomenon is known as a relative age effect (RAE) and has been shown to be widespread in sport and education. Methods In this article, we examine RAEs in a large group of children tested repeatedly on the 20‐m shuttle run, a common test of cardiorespiratory fitness. Following up on an earlier study that measured change with age, we add a growth curve model for change in variance, which makes it possible to derive RAEs for individuals of different ages and ability levels. Results Results show that a 1‐year difference in age is associated with a change in performance of about 0.2 standard deviations. For 1‐year age groups, this gives rise to ranking errors of 4 percentile ranks or less. We also show, however, that these relatively small ranking errors are capable of producing large age differences within groups identified as exceptional. Depending on the level of ability required for selection, children born in the first quarter of the year can be expected to outnumber those born in the last by 1.5 times, 2 times, or more. This finding is consistent with previously reported variation in RAEs at different performance levels. Conclusions Results imply that RAEs are likely to be of relatively minor concern when people are graded or ranked but can produce substantial inequities and misclassifications when people with extremely high or extremely low ability levels undergo selection. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 06, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22550   open full text
• The association between cardiovascular risk factors and high blood pressure in adolescents: A school‐based study.
  Diego G.D. Christofaro, Rômulo A. Fernandes, Arli R. Oliveira, Ismael Forte Freitas Júnior, Mauro V.G. Barros, Raphael M. Ritti‐Dias.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 05, 2014
  Objective Although previous studies have analyzed the association between cardiovascular risk factors and blood pressure in adolescents, few studies conducted in developing countries analyzed whether the aggregation of risk factors contributes to an increased risk of high blood pressure in adolescents. The objective of this study was to assess the association between cardiovascular risk factors (including general overweight, abdominal obesity, high consumption of foods rich in fats, and insufficient physical activity levels) and high blood pressure in adolescents. Methods This study was carried out from 2007 to 2008 with 1021 adolescents (528 girls) from primary schools located in the city of Londrina‐ Brazil. Blood pressure was assessed using an oscillometric device. General overweight was obtained through body mass index, abdominal obesity was assessed using waist circumference, and the consumption of foods rich in fat and physical activity were assessed using a questionnaire. The sum of these risk factors was determined. Results Adolescents with three or four aggregated risk factors were more likely to have higher values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure when compared with adolescents who did not have any cardiovascular risk factors (P = 0.001 for both). Logistic regression indicated that groups of adolescents with 2 (OR= 2.46 [1.11–5.42]; P = 0.026), 3 (OR= 4.97 [2.07–11.92]; P = 0.001) or 4 risk factors (OR= 6.79 [2.24–19.9]; P = 0.001) presented an increased likelihood of high blood pressure. Conclusions The number of cardiovascular risk factors was found to be related to high blood pressure in adolescents. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 05, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22555   open full text
• Prevalence of adiposity and associated cardiometabolic risk factors in the samoan genome‐wide association study.
  Nicola L. Hawley, Ryan L. Minster, Daniel E. Weeks, Satupaitea Viali, Muagututia Sefuiva Reupena, Guangyun Sun, Hong Cheng, Ranjan Deka, Stephen T. Mcgarvey.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 05, 2014
  Objective To describe the prevalence of obesity‐related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and associated risk factors in a sample of Samoan adults studied in 2010 as part of a genome‐wide assocation study (GWAS) for obesity related traits. Methods Anthropometric and biochemical data collected from n = 3,475 participants (n = 1,437 male; n = 2,038 female) aged 24.5 to <65 years were used to describe the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia within the study sample. One way analysis of variance, χ2 tests, and binary logistic regression were used to identify differences in disease and risk factor prevalence by 10‐year age group, gender, or by census region of residence. Results Obesity was highly prevalent among the study sample; 64.6% of females and 41.2% of males were obese according to Polynesian cutoffs (BMI ≥ 32 kg/m2). Females were less likely than males to have hypertension (31.7% vs. 36.7%) but equally likely to have diabetes (17.8% vs. 16.4%). With the exception of obesity and low HDL‐cholesterol in females only, there were significant differences in the prevalence of all NCDs and associated risk factors by age group, with the oldest age group (55 to <65 years) most affected. In both sexes, residents of the Apia Urban Area were at significantly greater risk of obesity, diabetes, low HDL‐cholesterol, and high triglycerides than residents of the more rural Savaii region. Conclusions The phenotypic characteristics of this sample provide evidence of a continuation of previously reported temporal trends toward obesity and its associated disorders. Attention must be paid to the critical NCD situation in Samoa. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 05, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22553   open full text
• Forty‐five year trends in overweight and obesity in an indigenous arctic inuit society in transition and spatiotemporal trends.
  Stig Andersen, Karsten Fleischer Rex, Paneeraq Noahsen, Hans Christian Florian Sørensen, Nicolai Hardenberg Larsen, Gert Mulvad, Peter Laurberg.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 02, 2014
  Objectives Overweight and obesity associate with increased morbidity and premature death. Westernization of societies heralds rising obesity rates. A steep increase in body mass index (BMI) and overweight in Greenland from 1963 to 1998 led us to follow‐up on height, weight, BMI, and rates of overweight among populations in Greenland and assess time trends between different stages of transition. Methods BMI was calculated from height and weight measured on Inuit and non‐Inuit aged 50 through 69 years surveyed in 1963, 1998, and 2008 in Ammassalik district in East Greenland and in 1998 and 2008 in the capital Nuuk in West Greenland. Results A total of 1,186 were surveyed in 1963 (52 men/63 women), 1998 (309/226), and 2008 (297/239). BMI increased with time (P < 0.001; 1963/1998/2008 23.3/24.3/26.2 kg/m2). In addition, BMI increased with urbanization in Inuit men (P = 0.001; settlements/town/city, in 1998, 23.9/24.9/25.5 kg/m2; in 2008, 25.0/26.0/27.0 kg/m2) while not in Inuit women (P = 0.18). The number of overweight Inuit (BMI >27 kg/m2) increased with time in men (4.0/25.6/33.2% in 1963/1998/2008, P = 0.001) and in women (13.6/30.7/37.3%, P = 0.001). BMI was above 30 kg/m2 in 2.0/10.8/17.5% of all Inuit men in 1963/1998/2008 (P = 0.003) and in 8.3%/23.0/24.5% of all Inuit women (P = 0.02) respectively. Conclusions Overweight and obesity rates rise with time and with societal transition in Greenland. Settlements and town are catching up with the city where the rate of increase is diminishing, although there were gender differences. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 02, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22556   open full text
• Interrelationships between anthropometric variables and overweight in childhood and adolescence.
  Bente Brannsether, Geir Egil Eide, Mathieu Roelants, Robert Bjerknes, Pétur Benedikt Júlíusson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 30, 2014
  Objectives To answer the questions: how does body mass index (BMI) correlate to five overweight related anthropometric variables during different ages in childhood, and which anthropometric variables contribute most to variation in BMI during childhood? Methods Data on BMI, height (H), sitting height (SH), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR), waist to sitting height ratio (WSHtR), subscapular skinfold (SSF), and triceps skinfold (TSF), from 4,576 Norwegian children 4.00–15.99 years of age, were transformed to standard deviation scores (SDS) and studied using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Results The correlations between BMI SDS and the standardized anthropometric variables were in general strong and positive. For all variables, the correlations were weakest in the youngest age group and highest between 7 and 12 years. WC SDS and WHtR SDS were most strongly correlated with BMI SDS through all ages and in both sexes. A model with seven anthropometric variables adjusted for age and sex explained 81.4% of the variation in BMI SDS. When adjusted for all other variables, WC SDS contributed most to the variation in BMI SDS (b = 0.467, CI [0.372, 0.562]). Age group, but not sex, contributed significantly to variation in BMI SDS. Conclusion The interrelationships between BMI SDS and five standardized overweight related anthropometric variables were dependent on age, being weakest in the youngest age group. Independent of sex and age, WC SDS was in this study superior to other anthropometric variables in contributing to variation in BMI SDS during childhood. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 30, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22554   open full text
• Stunting, adiposity, and the individual‐level “dual burden” among urban lowland and rural highland peruvian children.
  Emma Pomeroy, Jay T. Stock, Sanja Stanojevic, J. Jaime Miranda, Tim J. Cole, Jonathan C.K. Wells.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 07, 2014
  Background The causes of the “dual burden” of stunting and obesity remain unclear, and its existence at the individual level varies between populations. We investigate whether the individual dual burden differentially affects low socioeconomic status Peruvian children from contrasting environments (urban lowlands and rural highlands), and whether tibia length can discount the possible autocorrelation between adiposity proxies and height due to height measurement error. Methods Stature, tibia length, weight, and waist circumference were measured in children aged 3–8.5 years (n = 201). Height and body mass index (BMI) z scores were calculated using international reference data. Age‐sex‐specific centile curves were also calculated for height, BMI, and tibia length. Adiposity proxies (BMI z score, waist circumference‐height ratio (WCHtR)) were regressed on height and also on tibia length z scores. Results Regression model interaction terms between site (highland vs. lowland) and height indicate that relationships between adiposity and linear growth measures differed significantly between samples (P < 0.001). Height was positively associated with BMI among urban lowland children, and more weakly with WCHtR. Among rural highland children, height was negatively associated with WCHtR but unrelated to BMI. Similar results using tibia length rather than stature indicate that stature measurement error was not a major concern. Conclusions Lowland and rural highland children differ in their patterns of stunting, BMI, and WCHtR. These contrasts likely reflect environmental differences and overall environmental stress exposure. Tibia length or knee height can be used to assess the influence of measurement error in height on the relationship between stature and BMI or WCHtR. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 07, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22551   open full text
• Differentiating maturational influence on training‐induced strength and endurance adaptations in prepubescent children.
  Carlos C. Marta, Daniel A. Marinho, Mikel Izquierdo, Mário C. Marques.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 03, 2014
  Objective To analyze the effect of biological maturation on training‐induced strength and endurance adaptations in the prepubertal growth spurt. Methods One hundred and twenty‐five healthy children (58 boys, 67 girls), aged 10–11 years old (10.8 ± 0.4 years), who were self‐assessed as belonging to Tanner stages I and II, were randomly divided into two experimental groups, a strength training group (19 boys, 22 girls) and an endurance training group (21 boys, 24 girls) that would train twice a week for 8 weeks, as well as a control group (18 boys, 21 girls; no training program). Results After 8 weeks of training, there were improvements in all strength and endurance measures (P < 0.01) for both groups of Tanner stage I and II children. No significant differences in training response were observed relative to biological maturity or gender (P > 0.05). Conclusions These data suggest that more biologically mature prepubescent children seem to have no advantage in training‐induced strength and endurance adaptations compared with their less mature peers. Additionally, gender did not affect the training‐induced changes in strength or aerobic fitness. These results are meaningful for the development of optimized well‐rounded training programs in prepubertal children. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 03, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22549   open full text
• Age at death and linear enamel hypoplasias: Testing the effects of childhood stress and adult socioeconomic circumstances in premature mortality.
  Alexandra Amoroso, Susana J. Garcia, Hugo F.V. Cardoso.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 31, 2014
  Objective The aim of this study was to test the association between linear enamel hypolasias and adult socioeconomic circumstances with age at death in a modern skeletal sample of known age. Specifically, this study wishes to test whether there is a relationship between early life stressors, environmental quality in adult life and premature mortality. Methods The presence/absence of LEH and the number of LEH episodes were recorded in 113 adult males from the Lisbon identified skeletal collection. The association between LEH and age was quantified using linear regression and binary logistic regression models, calculating crude and adjusted linear regression coefficients and odds ratios. The models were adjusted for year of birth, socioeconomic and migration status, and cause of death. Results The presence and number of LEH were related to premature mortality. Individuals expressing at least one enamel defect survived 9.0 years less or were 2.5 times more likely to die before 53 years of age compared to individuals with no LEH. However, when controlling for the confounding factors considered, the association between LEH and age became nonsignificant. Conclusions The results indicate that although early life stressors, identified as LEH, seem strongly associated with premature mortality, adulthood socioeconomic circumstances accounts for most of the decreased longevity. This suggests that either macroscopically identified LEH in the permanent canine do not measure stressors early in life, or that a cumulative adversity model is a more adequate explanation. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 31, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22547   open full text
• Correlates of urban children's leisure‐time physical activity and sedentary behaviors during school days.
  Adilson Marques, James F. Sallis, João Martins, José Diniz, Francisco Carreiro Da Costa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 04, 2014
  Objectives Understanding correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviors may contribute to fostering active lifestyles. This study aimed to identify correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviors in leisure‐time among Portuguese urban children, during school days. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with 802 students (416 boys), aged 10–12 years. A questionnaire was used to collect data of physical activity, sedentary behaviors, psychological and behavioral variables related to physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Analyses were run separately for boys and girls. Results Television viewing occupied the most leisure‐time of boys and girls, followed by computer usage, and video game playing. These behaviors occupied 259.7 min/day for boys and 208.6 for girls (P = 0.002). Reported moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity was 23.7 min for boys and 12.8 min for girls (P < 0.001). Perception of competence and academic achievement were related to physical activity for the boys and girls. Computer use and playing video games with friends were only related to physical activity for the boys. On the other hand, parents' physical activity participation was related with boys' and girls' physical activity. The correlates of sedentary behavior were outdoor play for the boys, age for the girls, and playing video games with friends for both. Conclusions This finding suggests that interventions should be considered to replace joint video game time with joint physical activity time. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:407–412, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 04, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22535   open full text
• Endocrine responses, weight change, and energy sparing mechanisms during Ramadan among Gambian adolescent women.
  Meredith W. Reiches, Sophie E. Moore, Andrew M. Prentice, Peter T. Ellison.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 03, 2014
  Objectives Ramadan fasting imposes a diurnal rather than a chronic energetic challenge. When Ramadan occurs during the agricultural season in subsistence populations, diurnal and chronic effects combine. The impact of layered energetic challenges on adolescent activity, metabolism, and body composition have not been quantified. This study compares the effects of a Ramadan (30 July–3 October 2009) and subsequent non‐Ramadan (14 July–12 August 2010) agricultural season in 67 Gambian subsistence agriculturalist women between 14 and 20 years old. Methods Researchers collected body composition, anthropometric, metabolic, and activity data. Metabolic hormones were measured in weekly urine (C‐peptide of insulin) and serum (leptin). Energy expenditure was estimated from heart rate calibrated for oxygen consumption. Results Participants lost more weight (Wald Chi‐square 8.7, P < 0.01) and lean mass (Wald Chi‐square 4.7, P < 0.05) in Ramadan than in the non‐Ramadan agricultural season. Energy expenditure was lower (Wald Chi‐square 11.2, P = 0.001) and there was a negative correlation between resting metabolic rate and energy expenditure in activity (R2 = 0.097, F = 5.366, P = 0.025) during Ramadan. Leptin and C‐peptide were higher during Ramadan (Wald Chi‐square 53.7, P < 0.001 and Wald Chi‐square 15.0, P < 0.001). Conclusions Even using energy sparing behaviors, adolescent women enter negative energy balance when Ramadan and the agricultural season co‐occur. Metabolic physiology shows a transient response to high glycemic index foods consumed at night. Older and larger individuals sustain greater losses during Ramadan. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:395–400, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 03, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22531   open full text
• Symptom perception in healthy menopausal women: Can we predict concordance between subjective and physiological measures of vasomotor symptoms?
  Evgenia Stefanopoulou, Myra S. Hunter.
  American Journal of Human Biology. March 03, 2014
  Objectives Perception of physical symptoms is an important factor in medical help‐seeking. We aimed to examine both physiological and subjective measures of a commonly reported physical symptom—vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats; HF/NS), and to investigate factors that might influence symptom perception, that is, concordance, over‐reporting, and under‐reporting of symptoms in healthy menopausal women. Methods One hundred and forty women completed questionnaires assessing depressed mood, anxiety, stress, somatic symptoms, beliefs about HF/NS, and somatic amplification. Subjective and objective (24‐h sternal skin conductance) measurements of HF/NS were obtained to assess concordance. Results Thirty‐seven percent of HF/NS were concordant while 47 and 16 % were under‐reported and over‐reported, respectively. Depressed mood, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and negative beliefs about HF/NS were associated with (higher) concordance, (less) under‐, or (more) over‐reporting. Negative beliefs about night sweats and sleep were the strongest predictors of concordance, whereas additional somatic symptoms and smoking predicted over‐reporting. Conclusions Just over one third of physiologically recorded HF/NS were perceived as hot flushes; under‐reporting of symptoms was more common than over‐reporting. Interestingly, women who were more accurate in detecting physiological HF/NS tended to report more psychological and somatic symptoms and negative beliefs about HF/NS. Both measures should be included as outcomes of clinical trials. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:389–394, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  March 03, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22530   open full text
• Analysis of 16 STRs of NOS gene regions and around in six sardinian populations (Italy).
  Valeria Bachis, Carla Maria Calò, Giuseppe Vona, Laura Corrias, Robert Carreras‐Torres, Pedro Moral.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 27, 2014
  Objectives The aims of this work are to provide first data on novel STRs at the NOS gene regions in human populations and to test for possible correlations with mortality rate by malaria in different areas of Sardinia (Italy). Methods In the present study, 16 STRs (13 analyzed for the first time in human populations) localized on three genes NOS were typed in 213 healthy individuals, unrelated for at least three generations, from six historical–geographical Sardinian areas. STRs alleles were determined through sequencing. Statistical analyses were performed by Genepop (v.4.0), Arlequin (v.3.5.1.2), R (v.2.15.1), Statistica (v.5.1), and PHASE (v.2.1) software packages. Results The number of alleles found for each locus ranged from 2 to 12 and their distribution is most often unimodal. All populations met Hardy Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction, with few exceptions. Analysis of genetic distances did not show strong genetic structuring of the investigated populations. Instead, the population genetic variability shows a positive and highly significant (P‐value < 0.01) correlation between mortality determined by malaria infection and alleles (TGGA)7 of NOS2, (AAAAG)2 and (ATTT)10 of adNOS1, and (AAACA)11 of adNOS3 genes. Conclusions The peculiar allele distribution found for several NOS alleles could be due to malaria infection that may have contributed to their frequencies, but we cannot exclude that the peculiar allele distribution of NOS might also be due to genetic drift, emphasized by isolation and founder effect. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:401–406, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 27, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22533   open full text
• Salivary estradiol and testosterone in filipino men: Diurnal patterns and relationships with adiposity.
  Lee T. Gettler, Thomas W. McDade, Alan B. Feranil, Sonny S. Agustin, Christopher W. Kuzawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 27, 2014
  Objectives We used detailed saliva sampling procedures to test for diurnal changes in men's salivary estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) and assessed whether greater adiposity predicted higher E2 and T. Methods We drew on a subsample of young adults enrolled in a long‐running birth cohort study in Metro Cebu, Philippines. Subjects provided saliva samples at four time points during the day (waking, waking +40 min, early evening, and bedtime), which were assayed for E2 and T. Using these detailed hormonal data, we calculated E2 (n = 29) and T (n = 44) area‐under‐the‐curve values, which provide insights on hormonal production over the study period. Results While T declined immediately after waking and reached a nadir in the early evening, E2 did not show significant diurnal change (P ≥ 0.1) but was positively correlated to T at multiple time points (P ≤ 0.05). Subjects with higher adiposity (BMI, waist circumference, skinfolds) had elevated E2 secretion throughout the day (P ≤ 0.01), but adiposity was not related to salivary T. Conclusions Consistent with past research, our results indicate that adipose tissue is a significant site of E2 production in males but differ from a limited number of prior studies of young men in that we did not find lower T with increasing adiposity. Given E2's role in male hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal function and complex interfaces with the immune system, these results have important implications for models of male life history as rates of overweight and obesity rise in populations around the world. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:376–383, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 27, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22528   open full text
• Seasonal variation of peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length in Costa Rica: A population‐based observational study.
  David H. Rehkopf, William H. Dow, Luis Rosero‐Bixby, Jue Lin, Elissa S. Epel, Elizabeth H. Blackburn.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 25, 2014
  Objectives Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is increasingly being used as a biomarker of aging, but its natural variation in human populations is not well understood. Several other biomarkers show seasonal variation, as do several determinants of LTL. We examined whether there was monthly variation in LTL in Costa Rica, a country with strong seasonal differences in precipitation and infection. Methods We examined a longitudinal population‐based cohort of 581 Costa Rican adults age 60 and above, from which blood samples were drawn between October 2006 and July 2008. LTL was assayed from these samples using the quantitative PCR method. Multivariate regression models were used to examine correlations between month of blood draw and LTL. Results Telomere length from peripheral blood leukocytes varied by as much as 200 base pairs depending on month of blood draw, and this difference is not likely to be due to random variation. A moderate proportion of this association is statistically accounted for by month and region specific average rainfall. We found shorter telomere length associated with greater rainfall. Conclusions There are two possible explanations of our findings. First, there could be relatively rapid month‐to‐month changes in LTL. This conclusion would have implications for understanding the natural population dynamics of telomere length. Second, there could be seasonal differences in constituent cell populations. This conclusion would suggest that future studies of LTL use methods to account for the potential impact of constituent cell type. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:367–375, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 25, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22529   open full text
• Marrying kin in small‐scale societies.
  Robert S. Walker, Drew H. Bailey.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 23, 2014
  Objectives Marriages among kin have the dual effect of both increasing average group relatedness as well as reducing the total number of kin by eliminating more genealogically and geographically distant individuals from kinship networks. Marriage decisions therefore face a tradeoff between density of kin, or formation of intensive kinship systems, and the diversity of kin, or extensive kinship systems. This article tests the hypothesis that extensive kinship systems best characterize hunter‐gatherer societies, whereas more intensive forms of subsistence, like horticultural, agricultural, and pastoral economies, are more likely to have intensive kinship systems. Methods Here, we investigate the wide range of variation in prevalence of kin marriages across a sample of 46 small‐scale societies, split evenly between hunter‐gatherers and agropastoralists (including horticulturalists), using genealogies that range in depth from 4 to 16 generations. Regression methods examine how subsistence and polygyny relate to spousal relatedness and inbreeding across societies. Results On average, hunter‐gatherers show limited numbers of kin marriages and low levels of inbreeding, whereas some agropastoralists are characterized by much higher levels of both, especially in societies where polygynous marriages are more common. Conclusion Intensive kinship systems emerge in some intensive economies. This pattern may have favored a kin‐selected increase in more large‐scale cooperation and inequality occurring relatively recently in human history after the advent of domesticated plants and animals. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:384–388, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 23, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22527   open full text
• Functional variability of glutathione S‐transferases in basque populations.
  Andrea Iorio, Sara Piacentini, Renato Polimanti, Flavio Angelis, Rosario Calderon, Maria Fuciarelli.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 17, 2014
  Objectives Glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs) are enzymes involved in Phase II reactions. They play a key role in cellular detoxification. Various studies have shown that genes coding for the GST are highly polymorphic and some of these variants are directly associated with a decrease of enzyme activity making individuals more susceptible to different clinical phenotypes. The aim of this study is to investigate the genetic variability of GST genes among human populations. We have focused our attention on the polymorphic variants of the GSTA1, GSTM1, GSTO1, GSTO2, GSTP1, GSTT1, and GSTT2B genes. Methods These polymorphisms were analyzed in a whole sample of 151 individuals: 112 autochthonous Navarrese Basques, and 39 non‐autochthonous Navarrese Basques. DNA extraction from plasma was performed by using the phenol:chloroform:isoamylic alcohol method. Genotyping of the gene polymorphisms was performed by PCR Multiplex and the PCR‐RFLP method. We applied correspondence analysis and built frequency‐maps to compare the genetic structure in worldwide populations. Results Our results were compared with data available on the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP) and on the 1,000 Genomes Project to obtain information on the functional variability of GSTs in Basques. Our data indicated that Basque communities showed a higher differentiation of certain functional GST variants (i.e., GSTM1‐positive/null genotype, GSTP1*I105V, and GSTT2B*1/0) than other European and Mediterranean populations. Conclusions This might account for epidemiological differences in the predisposition to diseases and drug response among Basques and could be used to design and interpret genetic association studies for this particular population. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:361–366, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 17, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22520   open full text
• Correlation analysis of genetic admixture and social identification with body mass index in a Native American Community.
  Trina M. Norden‐Krichmar, Ian R. Gizer, Ondrej Libiger, Kirk C. Wilhelmsen, Cindy L. Ehlers, Nicholas J. Schork.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 17, 2014
  Objectives Body mass index (BMI) is a well‐known measure of obesity with a multitude of genetic and non‐genetic determinants. Identifying the underlying factors associated with BMI is difficult because of its multifactorial etiology that varies as a function of geoethnic background and socioeconomic setting. Thus, we pursued a study exploring the influence of the degree of Native American admixture on BMI (as well as weight and height individually) in a community sample of Native Americans (n = 846) while accommodating a variety of socioeconomic and cultural factors. Methods Participants' degree of Native American (NA) ancestry was estimated using a genome‐wide panel of markers. The participants also completed an extensive survey of cultural and social identity measures: the Indian Culture Scale (ICS) and the Orthogonal Cultural Identification Scale (OCIS). Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relation between these measures and BMI. Results Our results suggest that BMI is correlated positively with the proportion of NA ancestry. Age was also significantly associated with BMI, while gender and socioeconomic measures (education and income) were not. For the two cultural identity measures, the ICS showed a positive correlation with BMI, while OCIS was not associated with BMI. Conclusions Taken together, these results suggest that genetic and cultural environmental factors, rather than socioeconomic factors, account for a substantial proportion of variation in BMI in this population. Further, significant correlations between degree of NA ancestry and BMI suggest that admixture mapping may be appropriate to identify loci associated with BMI in this population. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:347–360, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 17, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22521   open full text
• Human body morphology, prevalence of nasopharyngeal potential bacterial pathogens, and immunocompetence handicap principal.
  Boguslaw Pawlowski, Judyta Nowak, BARBARA Borkowska, Zuzanna Drulis‐Kawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. February 12, 2014
  Objective Body height, body mass index (BMI) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) are the main traits characterizing human body morphology. Studies show that these traits are related to attractiveness and, therefore, according to an evolutionary point of view, are supposed to be honest signals of biological quality. If the immunocompetence handicap principal (IHP) is true, people with more attractive values of these traits should be more immunologically competent. To test this, we analyzed whether nasal and throat colonization with potentially pathogenic bacteria is related to body height and BMI in both sexes and to WHR in females. Methods: 103 healthy females and 90 healthy males (with the mean age of 21.4 and 22.8, respectively) participated in the study. The heights and weights were self‐reported and waist and hip circumferences measured. Six potentially pathogenic species (with the most common Staphylococcus aureus) isolated from nasal and throat swabs were identified by colony morphology, standard biochemical assays, and latex tests. To compare carrier and noncarrier individuals, Kruskal‐Wallis test was used. Results Colonized males had higher BMI than non‐colonized males (no difference for females) and colonized females had lower WHR's. Body height was not related to colonization in either sex. Conclusions We confirmed our hypothesis only for BMI in males. This result and a higher WHR in non‐colonized females indicate higher immunocompetence of those who bear the costs of higher levels of testosterone, which according to previous studies is correlated negatively to BMI in males and positively to WHR in females. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:305–310, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  February 12, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22510   open full text
• Correlation of 2D:4D digit ratio and craniofacial shape in prepubertal children.
  Kalliopy Valla, Demetrios J. Halazonetis.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 28, 2014
  Objectives The 2D:4D ratio is sexually dimorphic and is considered a proxy of prenatal androgen levels, or, according to recent evidence, is related to genes involved in ocular and palate development. Our aim was to investigate correlation between the 2D:4D ratio and the shape of the craniofacial skeleton in a population of prepubertal children. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional study in a group of 58 male and 59 female prepubertal children aged 7–12 years. Craniofacial shape was evaluated using 15 skeletal landmarks on lateral cephalometric radiographs and fingers were measured with a computer‐assisted procedure that involved tracing the finger outline. Geometric morphometric analysis was applied to the craniofacial landmarks and multivariate regression between digit ratios and craniofacial shape was computed in shape space and form space. Results The male 2D:4D ratio was smaller than the female ratio (Cohen's d: 0.275 left hand, 0.126 right hand), but the difference was not statistically significant. Craniofacial shape did not show sexual dimorphism, but males were larger than females. No correlation was found between digit ratio and craniofacial shape in prepubertal children, either for the whole sample or for any of the two sex groups. Conclusions As several factors might be involved in the development and growth of both the craniofacial complex and fingers, the 2D:4D ratio, a putative proxy for fetal sex‐hormone levels, is probably unable to impose a measurable effect within the variation of a normal population. Future research needs to examine an adult sample for potential covariation arising after the pubertal growth spurt. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:337–346, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 28, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22512   open full text
• Short‐term heat acclimation is effective and may be enhanced rather than impaired by dehydration.
  A.T. Garrett, N.G. Goosens, N.J. Rehrer, M.J. Patterson, J. Harrison, I. Sammut, J.D. Cotter.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 28, 2014
  Most heat acclimation data are from regimes longer than 1 week, and acclimation advice is to prevent dehydration. Objectives: We hypothesized that (i) short‐term (5‐day) heat acclimation would substantially improve physiological strain and exercise tolerance under heat stress, and (ii) dehydration would provide a thermally independent stimulus for adaptation. Methods: Nine aerobically fit males heat acclimated using controlled‐hyperthermia (rectal temperature 38.5°C) for 90 min on 5 days; once euhydrated (EUH) and once dehydrated (DEH) during acclimation bouts. Exercising heat stress tests (HSTs) were completed before and after acclimations (90‐min cycling in Ta 35°C, 60% RH). Results: During acclimation bouts, [aldosterone]plasma rose more across DEH than EUH (95%CI for difference between regimes: 40–411 pg ml−1; P = 0.03; n = 5) and was positively related to plasma volume expansion (r = 0.65; P = 0.05), which tended to be larger in DEH (CI: −1 to 10%; P = 0.06; n = 9). In HSTs, resting forearm perfusion increased more in DEH (by 5.9 ml 100 tissue ml−1 min−1: −11.5 to −1.0; P = 0.04) and end‐exercise cardiac frequency fell to a greater extent (by 11 b min−1: −1 to 22; P = 0.05). Hydration‐related effects on other endocrine, cardiovascular, and psychophysical responses to HSTs were unclear. Rectal temperature was unchanged at rest but was 0.3°C lower at end exercise (P < 0.01; interaction: P = 0.52). Conclusions: Short‐term (5‐day) heat acclimation induced effective adaptations, some of which were more pronounced after fluid‐regulatory strain from permissive dehydration, and not attributable to dehydration effects on body temperature. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:311–320, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 28, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22509   open full text
• Birth weight and overweight or obesity risk in children under 3 years in China.
  Nan Li, Enquing Liu, Shurong Sun, Jia Guo, Lei Pan, Ping Wang, Jin Liu, Linglin Tan, Gongshu Liu, Gang Hu.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 24, 2014
  Objective To investigate the association between different levels of birth weight and the risk of overweight and obesity in children aged 3 years and under. Methods Between 2009 and 2011, health care records of 55,925 children had been collected, and body weight and length had been measured from birth to 3 years old. Results Prevalence of overweight/obesity (BMI ≥85th percentiles and BMI ≥95th percentiles, referring to WHO BMI standards) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 years of age are 34.7%/16.8%, 36.4%/17.7%, 26.6%/11.0%, 22.3%/9.3%, respectively. There was a positive association between birth weight and childhood overweight or obesity from 6 months to 3 years of age. After adjustment for gestational age, maternal age, weight gain during pregnancy, maternal history of diabetes, mother's and father's education, occupation, and health status, family income, feeding modalities, and sex, the odds ratios (ORs) of overweight or obesity were significantly higher among children whose birth weights were 3,000–3,499 g (1.35–1.53 folds), 3,500–3,999 g (2.09–2.37 folds), 4,000–4,499 g (2.80–3.32 folds), and more than 4,500 g (3.54–4.90 folds), compared with the reference group (2,500–2,999 g). Conclusions Higher levels of birth weight were associated with an increased risk of overweight or obesity among Chinese children from 6 months to 3 years of age. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:331–336, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 24, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22506   open full text
• Mitochondrial variation among the aymara and the signatures of population expansion in the central Andes.
  Ken Batai, Sloan R. Williams.
  American Journal of Human Biology. January 21, 2014
  Objectives The exploitation of marine resources and intensive agriculture led to a marked population increase early in central Andean prehistory. Constant historic and prehistoric population movements also characterize this region. These features undoubtedly affected regional genetic variation, but the exact nature of these effects remains uncertain. Methods Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable region I sequence variation in 61 Aymara individuals from La Paz, Bolivia, was analyzed and compared to sequences from 47 other South American populations to test hypotheses of whether increased female effective population size and gene flow influenced the mtDNA variation among central Andean populations. Results The Aymara and Quechua were genetically diverse showing evidence of population expansion and large effective population size, and a demographic expansion model fits the mtDNA variation found among central Andean populations well. Estimated migration rates and the results of AMOVA and multidimensional scaling analysis suggest that female gene flow was also an important factor, influencing genetic variation among the central Andeans as well as lowland populations from western South America. mtDNA variation in south central Andes correlated better with geographic proximity than with language, and fit a population continuity model. Conclusion The mtDNA data suggests that the central Andeans experienced population expansion, most likely because of rapid demographic expansion after introduction of intensive agriculture, but roles of female gene flow need to be further explored. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:321–330, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  January 21, 2014   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22507   open full text
• Androgen activity and markers of inflammation among men in NHANES III.
  C. Mary Schooling.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 13, 2013
  Objectives Inflammation contributes to chronic diseases. Lower serum testosterone among men is associated with less inflammation, yet immune defense is thought to trade‐off against reproduction with androgens adversely affecting immune function. Anti‐androgens are effective at castrate levels of serum testosterone, suggesting serum testosterone may not capture all androgen activity. The association of two androgen biomarkers with key markers of inflammation was examined. Methods The adjusted association of serum testosterone and androstanediol glucuronide with C‐reactive protein, white blood cell, granulocyte and lymphocyte count, fibrinogen, and hemoglobin, as a control outcome because testosterone administration raises hemoglobin, were examined in a nationally representative sample of 1,490 US men from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III phase 1 (1988–1991) using multivariable linear regression. Results Serum testosterone and androstanediol glucuronide were weakly correlated (0.13). Serum testosterone was associated with lower white blood cell count [−0.26 × 10−9 per standard deviation, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.37 to −0.14] and granulocyte count (−0.21 × 10−9, 95% CI −0.29 to −0.13) but not with hemoglobin (0.02 g/l, 95% CI −0.89 to 0.92), adjusted for age, education, race/ethnicity, smoking, and alcohol. Similarly adjusted, androstanediol glucuronide was not associated with white blood cell count (0.10 × 10−9, 95% CI −0.05 to −0.25), granulocyte count (0.12 × 10−9, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.25), or fibrinogen (0.05 g/l, 95% CI −0.004 to 0.11), but was with hemoglobin (0.70 g/l, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.32). Conclusions Different androgen biomarkers had different associations with inflammatory markers, highlighting the need to consider several androgen biomarkers. The possibility remains that androgens may generate inflammatory processes with implications for chronic diseases. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 13, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22421   open full text
• Human linear growth trajectory defined.
  Anderson Mon, Michael Cabana, Bonnie Halpern‐Felsher, Dieter Johannes Meyerhoff.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 10, 2013
  Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the applicability of a simple mathematical formula for prediction of individual child linear growth. The formula describes a square root dependence of height on age with only two constants, k and C. Methods Retrospective serial height measurements of 137 healthy children (61 female), who attended clinic in the Pediatrics Department at the University of California, San Francisco were used. For each child, two of the initial measurements and their corresponding measurement times were used to determine the values of k and C. By substituting the determined values of k and C into the formula, the formula was then used to predict the trajectory of the child's growth. Results The 137 children were comprised of 20% Hispanic, 23% African‐American, 27% Caucasian and 30% Asian. The formula predicted growth trajectories of 136 out of the 137 children with minimal discrepancies between the measured data and the corresponding predicted data. The mean of the discrepancies was 0.8 cm. Conclusions Our proposed formula is very easy to use and predicts individual child growth with high precision irrespective of gender or ethnicity. The formula will be a valuable tool for studying human growth and possibly growths of other animals. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 10, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22428   open full text
• Effects of maya ancestry and environmental variables on knee height and body proportionality in growing individuals in merida, yucatan.
  Adriana Vázquez‐Vázquez, Hugo Azcorra, Ina Falfán, Jorge Argáeź, Diódora Kantun, Federico Dickinson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 09, 2013
  Objective Identify the biological, social, and economic conditions influencing the knee height/stature index (KHSI) in growing individuals of Maya ancestry in the city of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Methods The hypothesis was that KHSI values would be lower in subjects with two Maya surnames. This was tested by analyzing the effect of a series of environmental, biological, and socioeconomic variables on stature and knee height (KH). Data were collected from 2008 to 2009 from 841 individuals (444 girls), 9 to 17 years of age, in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Ancestry was used as a proxy for genetics, and based on number of Maya surnames (2, 1, or none). The KHSI was calculated for all individuals. Multiple regression models were run to identify the variables that best explained variation in stature, KH, and KHSI. Results Ancestry negatively (P < 0.05) affected stature, but birth weight, crowding index, and mother's education level (MEL) were more significant (P < 0.01). Ancestry had no effect on KH and KHSI values, but birth weight and MEL had a significant effect. Individuals who had grown up in an adverse environment, in terms of MEL, had higher KHSI values. Apparently, lower leg length was proportionally longer than thigh length in the sample. Conclusions Growth measurements were more responsive to the studied environmental variables than to ancestry‐related genetic conditions. Genetic predisposition is, therefore, not the primary cause of short stature in this sample of Yucatec Mayas. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 09, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22417   open full text
• Prenatal and postnatal energetic conditions and sex steroids levels across the first year of life.
  Amanda L. Thompson, Michelle Lampl.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives Human biologists have documented variability in reproductive maturation, fertility, and cancer risk related to developmental conditions. Yet no previous studies have directly examined the impact of prenatal and postnatal energetic environments on sex steroids in infancy, a critical period for hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis development. Thus, we examined the impact of maternal characteristics, birth size, and feeding practices on fecal sex steroid production in a longitudinal sample of 31 American infants followed from 2 weeks to 12 months of age. Methods Maternal characteristics and birth size were collected at study enrollment, infant diet was assessed through weekly 24‐h food diaries, and anthropometrics were measured weekly. Fecal estradiol and testosterone levels were assessed weekly using validated microassay RIA techniques. Mixed models were used to test for associations between maternal and birth characteristics, feeding practices, and sex steroids across the first year of life. Formal mediation analysis examined whether the relationship between infant feeding and hormone levels was mediated by infant size. Results Maternal and birth characteristics had persistent effects on fecal sex steroid levels, with taller maternal height and larger birth size associated with lower estradiol levels in girls and higher testosterone levels in boys. Infant diet was also associated with sex steroid levels independently of infant size. Formula feeding was associated with higher estradiol levels in boys and girls and with higher testosterone in girls. Conclusion These results suggest that markers of early energy availability influence sex hormone levels with potential long‐term consequences for reproductive development and function. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22424   open full text
• Nutritional status of Maya children, their mothers, and their grandmothers residing in the City of Merida, Mexico: Revisiting the leg‐length hypothesis.
  Hugo Azcorra, Maria Inês Varela‐Silva, Luis Rodriguez, Barry Bogin, Federico Dickinson.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives To test the hypothesis that leg length‐relative‐to‐stature is a more sensitive indicator of nutrition and health than is total height (HT) or sitting height (SH) in a sample of 109 triads of urban Maya children (6.0–8.99 years), their mothers, and maternal grandmothers from Merida, Mexico. Methods From September 2011 to June 2012, the following factors were obtained from all participants: (1) HT, SH, and leg length (LL); (2) the sitting height ratio (SHR = [SH × 100]/HT), relative leg length index (RLLI = [LL × 100]/height), and percentiles and z‐scores of HT, SH, and LL were calculated; and (3) the percentages of stunting for children or very short ZHT for the adults, short ZSH, and short ZLL: HT‐for‐age, SH‐for‐age, or LL‐for‐age below the 5th percentile of the reference were calculated. Correlations were performed to examine the association between z‐scores of HT, SH, and LL among three generations. Results Stunting in children was 11% (short ZLL = 29%, short ZSH = 7%). Short ZHT was present in 71% of mothers (short ZLL = 54%, short ZSH = 50%) and 90% of grandmothers (short ZLL = 69%, short ZSH = 83%). Significant correlations in ZHT, ZSH, and ZLL were found in mother‐to‐child and grandmother‐to‐mother, with the strongest correlations for ZLL. Conclusions These findings support the hypothesis for children and mothers. Based on ZLL, there is evidence that childhood and nutrition have improved somewhat for each younger generation. Persistent environmental adversity during growth resulted in growth deficits for LL and SH for the mothers and grandmothers. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22427   open full text
• Different associations of subscapular and triceps skinfold thicknesses with pathogen load: An ecogeographical analysis.
  Jonathan C.K. Wells, Mario Cortina‐Borja.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives The dominant evolutionary perspective on adipose tissue has considered it a relatively inert energy store. However, variability in adipose tissue distribution has recently been associated with age, parity, thermal environment and immune function. Genes regulating the innate immune system are more strongly expressed in deep‐lying than peripheral adipose tissue. We hypothesized that central adiposity would correlate more strongly than peripheral adiposity with pathogen load across populations. Methods Primary outcomes were subscapular and triceps skinfolds from 133 male and 106 female populations. National values for disability‐adjusted life years lost, attributable to infectious diseases, were used to index pathogen load. Linear mixed‐effects models were fitted, including a random effect term by country to investigate the association of each skinfold with pathogen load, adjusting for the other skinfold, mean annual temperature and clustering of the populations across countries. Results Adjusting for subscapular skinfold, triceps skinfold was not associated with pathogen load in either sex. Adjusting for triceps skinfold, subscapular skinfold was negatively associated with pathogen load in both sexes (P < 0.02). These associations were independent of variability in annual temperature. Adjusting for pathogen load and temperature, Oceanic populations had a different fat distribution compared to other populations. Conclusions Across populations, higher pathogen load was associated with reduced central but not peripheral skinfolds, supporting the hypothesis that central adiposity is more closely associated with immune function. This scenario might explain why some populations increase disproportionately in central adiposity when the environment shifts from low‐energy high‐pathogen status to high‐energy low‐pathogen status. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22418   open full text
• Measured maximal heart rates compared to commonly used age‐based prediction equations in the heritage family study.
  M.A. Sarzynski, T. Rankinen, C.P. Earnest, A.S. Leon, D.C. Rao, J.S. Skinner, C. Bouchard.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objective The purpose of this study was to examine how well two commonly used age‐based prediction equations for maximal heart rate (HRmax) estimate the actual HRmax measured in Black and White adults from the HERITAGE Family Study. Methods A total of 762 sedentary subjects (39% Black, 57% Females) from HERITAGE were included. HRmax was measured during maximal exercise tests using cycle ergometers. Age‐based HRmax was predicted using the Fox (220‐age) and Tanaka (208 – 0.7 × age) formulas. Results The standard error of estimate (SEE) of predicted HRmax was 12.4 and 11.4 bpm for the Fox and Tanaka formulas, respectively, indicating a wide‐spread of measured‐HRmax values are compared to their age‐predicted values. The SEE (shown as Fox/Tanaka) was higher in Blacks (14.4/13.1 bpm) and Males (12.6/11.7 bpm) compared to Whites (11.0/10.2 bpm) and Females (12.3/11.2 bpm) for both formulas. The SEE was higher in subjects above the BMI median (12.8/11.9 bpm) and below the fitness median (13.4/12.4 bpm) when compared to those below the BMI median (12.2/11.0 bpm) and above the fitness median (11.4/10.3) for both formulas. Conclusion Our findings show that based on the SEE, the prevailing age‐based estimated HRmax equations do not precisely predict an individual's measured‐HRmax. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22431   open full text
• Reliability of standard circumferences in domain‐related constitutional applications.
  Tresignie Jonathan, Scafoglieri Aldo, Clarys Jan Pieter, Cattrysse Erik.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives There may be no doubt that circumferences, measured at different sites of body segments, have a variety of applications. Studies using girths are based on assumed logic, but within a general context no literature is found as to the origin of choice of a particular circumference for a particular application. The purpose of this study is to relate each circumference (i) with the segmental tissue masses and (ii) with all whole‐body tissue masses; in order to provide a complete constitutional reliability report of each girth available. Methods Subsequent to an anthropometric protocol, 23 (9 male aged 74.8 ± 5.7 years and 14 female aged 79.2 ± 7.3 years) well‐preserved white Caucasian cadavers, of lean subjects were dissected according to the 5‐component model and expressed on its tissue‐system level, for example, skin, muscle, adipose tissue, viscera, and bones. Results The relations range from r = 0.80 to r = 0.99 (P < 0.01). A majority of circumferences (e.g., head, neck, upper thigh, mid‐thigh, and calf) do represent what is expected. Other girths (e.g., waist, upper arm, elbow, forearm, and wrist) do not relate adequately to the assumed constituent. Conclusion This study suggests the appreciation of the waist circumference. This measure is not valid for lean individuals, but might be for the obese. It is suggested likewise that a combination of chest and hip circumference may have a more general application within the public health sector. In summary, evidence confirms the reliability of a series of circumferences but creates doubts or rejects other colloquially established perimeters. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22423   open full text
• 2D:4D finger length ratio and reproductive indices in a Chuvashian population.
  Leonid Kalichman, Valery Batsevich, Eugene Kobyliansky.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objective to evaluate the association between 2D:4D finger length ratios (representing the prenatal environment, i.e., early androgen exposure) and reproductive indices, such as age at menarche, menopausal age, and length of reproductive period. Methods Retrospective data on age at menarche and menopausal age as well as x‐rays of both hands were obtained from 674 Chuvashian women aged 18–70 years (mean 46.32 ± 15.42). Finger and metacarpal length ratios as well as visual classification of finger ratio types, were estimated from the x‐rays. Results and Conclusions We found that a low 2D:4D ratio (radiologically evaluated), a masculine 2D:4D ratio type (visually evaluated), and a putative bioassay for prenatal androgen exposure, were associated with a later menarche and a shorter reproductive period. No association was found with menopausal age. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22420   open full text
• Gene x environment interactions impact endometrial function and the menstrual cycle: PROGINS, life history, anthropometry, and physical activity.
  Elizabeth J. Rowe, Toby K. Eisenstein, Joseph Meissler, L. Christie Rockwell.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives We assessed the impact of a high frequency, functionally significant allelic variant of the progesterone receptor gene (PROGINS) on endometrial function and menstrual cycle characteristics. Further we asked whether PROGINS moderates the impact of life history characteristics, anthropometric measures, and physical activity on endometrial function. Methods Fifty‐two women were genotyped for the PROGINS variant, provided life history information, and had anthropometric measurements made. Women monitored their menstrual bleeding for three cycles, performed mid‐cycle urinary ovulation tests, and recorded physical activity. A subset of women provided daily saliva samples and had mid‐luteal endometrial thickness measurements taken during the third menstrual cycle. Salivary progesterone was assayed using ELISAs. The direct impact of PROGINS on endometrial and menstrual cycle characteristics was determined via independent t‐tests with Bonferroni correction. Interactions between PROGINS and covariates were assessed by moderated regression. Results PROGINS did not directly impact any indicator of endometrial function. However, PROGINS caused an increase in menstrual cycle length with increasing mid‐luteal progesterone levels; the opposite relationship was present in noncarriers (P < 0.05). Additionally, PROGINS interacted with four of six anthropometric measures (BMI, waist circumference, height, and waist‐hip ratio) to impact endometrial function, however, interactions between PROGINS and life history variables, or physical activity was limited. Conclusions The gene x environment interactions we report suggest that PROGINS alters endometrial sensitivity to maternal energetic condition. Thus, the possibility of genetically‐based variation in sensitivity to energetic stress should be considered in future adaptive models of women's reproduction. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 00:000–000, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22430   open full text
• Associations between arterial oxygen saturation, body size and limb measurements among high‐altitude andean children.
  Emma Pomeroy, Jay T. Stock, Sanja Stanojevic, J. Jaime Miranda, Tim J. Cole, Jonathan C.K. Wells.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives The relative influences of hypoxia and other environmental stressors on growth at altitude remain unclear. Previous work demonstrated an association between peripheral arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and anthropometry (especially tibia length) among Tibetan and Han children at altitude. We investigated whether similar associations exist among Andeans, and the patterning of associations between SpO2 and anthropometry. Methods Stature, head‐trunk height, total upper and lower limb lengths, zeugopod (ulna and tibia) and autopod (hand and foot) lengths were measured in Peruvian children (0.5–14 years) living at >3000 m altitude. SpO2 was measured by pulse oximetry. Anthropometry was converted to internal z scores. Correlation and multiple regression were used to examine associations between anthropometry z scores and SpO2, altitude, or SpO2 adjusted for altitude since altitude is a major determinant of variation in SpO2. Results SpO2 and altitude show weak, significant correlations with zeugopod length z scores and still weaker significant correlations with total upper and lower limb length z scores. Correlations with z scores for stature, head‐trunk height, or autopod lengths are not significant. Adjusted for altitude, there is no significant association between anthropometry and SpO2. Conclusions Associations between SpO2 or altitude and total limb and zeugopod length z scores exist among Andean children. However, the relationships are relatively weak, and while the relationship between anthropometry and altitude may be partly mediated by SpO2, other factors that covary with altitude (e.g., socioeconomic status, health) are likely to influence anthropometry. The results support suggestions that zeugopod lengths are particularly sensitive to environmental stressors. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22422   open full text
• The developmental origins of chronic rheumatic heart disease.
  Johan G. Eriksson, Eero Kajantie, David I.W. Phillips, Clive Osmond, Kent L. Thornburg, David J.P. Barker.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives Programming is the phenomenon whereby the body's structures and functions are permanently set by nutrition and other influences during early development. There is increasing evidence that programming in utero initiates cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that susceptibility to developing chronic rheumatic heart disease on exposure to Streptococcus pyogenes is programmed. Methods We studied hospital admissions and deaths from chronic rheumatic heart disease in 20,431 people born in Helsinki, Finland, during 1924–1944. One hundred and one people, 56 men, and 45 women, had chronic rheumatic heart disease. Results The disease was not associated with body or placental size at birth. It was, however, associated with a long umbilical cord so that the hazard ratio for the disease was 1.23 (95% CI 1.04–1.45, P = 0.02) for every 10 cm increase in cord length. This association was present in people with mitral valve disease, hazard ratio 1.5 (1.20–1.89, P < 0.0001), but not in people with aortic valve disease, hazard ratio 1.0 (0.76–1.33, P = 0.97). Growing up in large households increased the risk of rheumatic heart disease. Conclusion Longer umbilical cords have more spirals and a greater density of spirals per unit of length. Increased spiraling will increase the resistance to flow and the pressure load on the fetal heart. This could affect the development of the heart's valves and make them more vulnerable to the autoimmune process initiated by Streptococcus pyogenes. The mitral valve may be more vulnerable than the aortic valve because the valve leaflets are larger and therefore have greater wall stress. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22425   open full text
• Evidence for novel genetic loci associated with metabolic traits in Yup'ik people.
  Stella Aslibekyan, Laura Kelly Vaughan, Howard W. Wiener, Dominick J. Lemas, Yann C. Klimentidis, Peter J. Havel, Kimber L. Stanhope, Diane M. O'brien, Scarlett E. Hopkins, Bert B. Boyer, Hemant K. Tiwari.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives To identify genomic regions associated with fasting plasma lipid profiles, insulin, glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin in a Yup'ik study population, and to evaluate whether the observed associations between genetic factors and metabolic traits were modified by dietary intake of marine derived omega‐3 polyunsaturated acids (n‐3 PUFA). Methods A genome‐wide linkage scan was conducted among 982 participants of the Center for Alaska Native Health Research study. n‐3 PUFA intake was estimated using the nitrogen stable isotope ratio (δ15N) of erythrocytes. All genotyped SNPs located within genomic regions with LOD scores > 2 were subsequently tested for individual SNP associations with metabolic traits using linear models that account for familial correlation as well as age, sex, community group, and n‐3 PUFA intake. Separate linear models were fit to evaluate interactions between the genotype of interest and n‐3 PUFA intake. Results We identified several chromosomal regions linked to serum apolipoprotein A2, high density lipoprotein‐, low density lipoprotein‐, and total cholesterol, insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin. Genetic variants found to be associated with total cholesterol mapped to a region containing previously validated lipid loci on chromosome 19, and additional novel peaks of biological interest were identified at 11q12.2–11q13.2. We did not observe any significant interactions between n‐3 PUFA intake, genotypes, and metabolic traits. Conclusions We have completed a whole genome linkage scan for metabolic traits in Native Alaskans, confirming previously identified loci, and offering preliminary evidence of novel loci implicated in chronic disease pathogenesis in this population. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22429   open full text
• Factors associated with cortisol levels and health in 5–6‐year‐old children.
  J. Cardas, A. Azpiroz, E. Pascual‐Sagastizabal, E.G. Pérez‐Yarza, A.E. Etxebarria, A. Azurmendi, J.R. Sanchez‐Martín.
  American Journal of Human Biology. August 01, 2013
  Objectives This study assesses the relationships between social context (family and inter‐peer context), stress, and illness in 5–6‐year‐old children. Methods To this end, data were collected on spontaneous social interpeer behavior; families provided data on stress, anxiety, and parental acceptance‐rejection; and the children's pediatricians provided data relative to their health. Data on stress‐related hormones (cortisol) were collected using saliva samples. Results The results revealed that none of the variables examined were significantly related to illness development in the subjects in the sample group. Cortisol levels, however, were positively associated with a record of chronic or congenital illnesses, the manifestation of behaviors related to the search for leadership status in the group and the presence of stressful events in the family environment. Conclusions Despite finding no relationship between children's level of adrenocortical activity and the contracting or contingent development of diseases, we did find that chronic/congenital diseases may constitute a source of early stress in childhood. Certain conditions of uncertainty in the social context (family and interpeer) also seem to constitute different sources of stress. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  August 01, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22419   open full text
• Wrist breadth and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in youth: The fels longitudinal study.
  Noel T. Mueller, William Johnson, Andrew O. Odegaard, Miryoung Lee, Stefan A. Czerwinski, Ellen W. Demerath.
  American Journal of Human Biology. July 30, 2013
  Objectives There is biological crosstalk between insulin signaling and bone remodeling pathways, and wrist circumference and bone area were recently found to associate with insulin resistance independent of body mass index (BMI) in overweight/obese children. We aimed to expand on this work by using more specific measures of adiposity for adjustment and examining children with broader range of BMI. Methods We used serial data (1,051 total measures) on 313 non‐Hispanic white youth (ages 8–18 y) from the Fels Longitudinal Study with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) as the outcome. Internal standard deviation score (SDS) for wrist breadth was evaluated as a predictor of HOMA‐IR (log‐transformed) before and after adjusting for internal‐sample SDSs for BMI, waist circumference (WC), and total body fat (TBF) from dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry, in addition to age, sex, Tanner stage, and birth year, using generalized estimating equations. Results Before additional adiposity adjustment, we found a significant positive association between wrist breadth SDS and log‐transformed HOMA‐IR (β = 0.13; 95%CI: 0.09–0.17), which remained significant after adjusting for TBF SDS (β = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.05–0.13; P < 0.001), BMI SDS (β = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02–0.10; P = 0.007), and WC SDS (β = 0.06; 95%CI: 0.02–0.09; P = 0.005). Conclusions Further work is needed to determine whether simple frame size measures such as wrist breadth may be useful markers of metabolic risk. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  July 30, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22416   open full text
• The hidden cost of moving up: Type 2 diabetes and the escape from persistent poverty in the American South.
  Richard H. Steckel.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 19, 2013
  Objectives The paper tests the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, according to which nonharmonious growth trajectories are costly for adult health. Methods The American surge in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is concentrated in the South, a region characterized by a long history of poverty followed by rapid economic growth beginning in the 1960s. Civil rights legislation further accelerated income growth for African‐Americans in the region. The paper investigates the hypothesis by using per capita income at the state level as a proxy for net nutritional conditions. Results Regressions at the state level explain 56% of the variation in the prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes in 2009 using two explanatory variables: the ratio of per capita income in 1980 to that in 1950 and the share of the population that was African‐American. The paper discusses ways that rapid economic growth may have translated into weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Conclusions If the thrifty phenotype hypothesis is correct, future rates in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes are predictable based on income history. The forecast for rapidly developing countries such as India and China are ominous. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:508–515, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 19, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22399   open full text
• Little Effect of Gestation at 3,100 m on Fetal Fat Accretion or the Fetal Circulation.
  Joel Schwartz, Darleen Cioffi‐Ragan, Megan J. Wilson, Colleen G. Julian, Brenda Beatty, Lorna G. Moore, Henry L. Galan.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 11, 2013
  Objective While chronic hypoxia has been recognized as the principal causative factor for decreasing birth weight at high altitude, unknown is whether fetal fat accretion and vascular function are affected. Methods Colorado women with normal singleton pregnancies (18 Denver residents, 1,600 m; 24 Leadville residents, 3,100 m) were studied longitudinally from 20 to 36 weeks gestation. Fetal biometry was used to obtain axial images for assessing mid‐upper arm and mid‐thigh subcutaneous tissue mass (MUA and MUL SQ) and Doppler waveform analysis conducted to measure indices of vascular function in the fetal umbilical arteries (UmbA), umbilical vein (UmbV), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and ductus venosus (DV). SAS PROC MIXED was used to compare altitudes with P < 0.05 considered significant and trends present when 0.05 < P < 0.10. Results The 3,100 m vs. 1,600 m babies weighed less at birth. Third trimester fetal biometry, MUA SQ and MUL SQ were somewhat lower, but neither the biometry nor the SQ altitudinal differences attained statistical significance. Greater prepregnant maternal BMI tended to decrease MUA SQ (P = 0.07) and increase MUL SQ (P = 0.07). UmbA S/D ratios decreased and UmbV flow increased with advancing gestation (both P < 0.001). Altitude did not affect the UmbA or MCA systolic/diastolic ratios (S/D), MCA peak‐systolic velocity, UmbV flow, or the DV systolic/atrial flow ratio. Conclusion The hypoxia of residence at high compared to moderate altitude lowered birth weight but did not significantly alter MUA or mid‐thigh fetal subcutaneous tissue mass or Doppler indices of vascular function. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:544–549, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 11, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22407   open full text
• Natural selection In Utero: Evidence from the great East Japan earthquake.
  R. Catalano, T. Yorifuji, I. Kawachi.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 10, 2013
  Objectives Controversy remains over whether declines in male births reported after population stressors result from either or both reduced conception of males or increased selection in utero against male fetuses. We use monthly birth cohorts to determine if Japanese male births following the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 fell below levels expected from female births and from history (i.e., autocorrelation) among cohorts exposed to the Earthquake at or after conception. Methods We apply interrupted time‐series methods to 69 months (i.e., April, 2006 through December, 2011) of birth data from the most and least affected prefectures as well as from the remainder of Japan. We estimate expected male births from female births and from autocorrelation. Results Findings varied by distance from the greatest damage but suggest sensitive periods both early and late in gestation when population stressors may induce selection against males in utero. Support for reduced conception of males appeared only in the prefectures most damaged by the Earthquake. Conclusions Results align with the claim that natural selection has conserved mechanisms that reduce the odds of a male live birth during stressful times by reducing the conception of males and by increasing the rate of spontaneous abortion among male fetuses. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:555–559, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 10, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22414   open full text
• Dietary zinc intake is inversely associated to metabolic syndrome in male but not in female urban adolescents.
  Milton F. Suarez‐Ortegón, Jenny E. Ordoñez‐Betancourth, Cecilia Aguilar‐de Plata.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 10, 2013
  Objective To evaluate the relationship of copper and zinc dietary intakes with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. Methods The sample consisted of 1,311 adolescents aged 11–16 years, and MetS definition by de Ferranti et al. was used. Nutritional intakes, anthropometrical and biochemical markers were measured. Results In males, highest quartile of zinc intake was inversely associated with MetS without and with adjustment by covariables. Without adjustment, highest quartile of copper intake was inversely associated (marginal significance) with MetS, but with adjustment, the relationship was not maintained. Likewise in male gender, elevated waist circumference was the only MetS component inversely associated with highest quartiles of zinc (without and with adjustment) and copper (significant in crude analysis and marginal significant in adjustment by covariables) intakes. In the girls, only waist circumference was significant and inversely associated with highest quartiles of zinc and copper intakes but the association did not remain significant after adjustments. Discussion In the adolescents of this study, zinc intake could be more associated to a clustering of anthropometric, vascular, and metabolic alterations than to these alterations separately, and also it is inversely related to this clustering (MetS). However, studies in other populations are necessary to confirm and explain the finding of exclusive association zinc intake‐MetS in male gender adolescents. Further research is required to explore biomarkers of physiological processes (antioxidant function, blood flow regulation, and epigenetic modulation dependent of zinc) in relation to zinc intake and MetS in pediatric and adult populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:550–554, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 10, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22408   open full text
• Modeling multisystem biological risk in later life: Allostatic load in the lothian birth cohort study 1936.
  Tom Booth, John M. Starr, Ian Deary.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 10, 2013
  Objectives To investigate and replicate a multisystem model of biological risk, or allostatic load, in a sample of generally healthy older adults. Methods Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MG‐CFA) was applied to data from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (n = 726). Blood samples were taken at a physical examination. Three markers of inflammation (fibrinogen, interleukin‐6, and C‐reactive protein), five metabolic markers (high‐ and low‐density lipoprotein, body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, and triglyceride), and blood pressure (mean sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressure) were used to estimate a second‐order CFA model of allostatic load. Our sample was split into those taking antihypertensive, anti‐inflammatory, lipid‐lowering, and diabetes medications (n = 470), and those who were not (n = 256), in order to test the stability of the CFA model across groups. Results In the nonmedicated sample, a second‐order allostatic load model showed good fit to the data. However, the second‐order model failed to estimate in the medicated group. The factor correlations between blood pressure and inflammation and metabolism were smaller in magnitude in the medicated group. Invariance analysis on the first‐order measurement model suggested significant differences across groups in the associations of low‐density lipoprotein and HbA1c with metabolism. Conclusions Reliable measurement of allostatic load is possible in ageing samples free of medications but is complicated in the presence of medications. MG‐CFA represents a highly versatile method for the analysis of allostatic load. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:538–543, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 10, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22406   open full text
• Birth weight, season of birth and postnatal growth do not predict levels of systemic inflammation in gambian adults.
  Anna A. Richards, Anthony J. Fulford, Andrew M. Prentice, Sophie E. Moore.
  American Journal of Human Biology. June 10, 2013
  Objectives Studies testing whether systemic inflammation might lie on the causal pathway between aberrant fetal and post‐natal growth patterns and later cardiovascular disease have been inconclusive, possibly due to the use of single markers of unknown predictive value. We used repeated measures of a comprehensive set of inflammatory markers to investigate the relationship between early life measures and systemic inflammation in an African population. Methods Individuals born in three rural villages in The Gambia, and for whom early life measurements were recorded, were traced (n = 320). Fasting levels of eight inflammatory markers (C‐reactive protein, serum amyloid A, orosomucoid, fibrinogen, α 1‐antichymotrypsin, sialic acid, interleukin‐6 and neopterin) were measured, and potential confounding factors recorded. The association between early life measurements and systemic inflammation was assessed using regression analysis. Results Levels of most markers were unrelated to early growth patterns. In analyses adjusted for age and sex, more rapid growth between birth and 3 months of age was associated with higher levels of fibrinogen, orosomucoid, and sialic acid. These relationships persisted after further adjustment for body mass index but after full adjustment only the association with fibrinogen remained. Conclusions This study provides little evidence that size at birth or growth in early infancy determine levels of inflammatory markers in young Gambian adults. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:457–464, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  June 10, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22413   open full text
• The velocity of fetal growth is associated with the breadth of the placental surface, but not with the length.
  Saleh H. Alwasel, Abdul‐Halaim Harrath, Jamal S. Aljarallah, Zeinab Abotalib, Clive Osmond, S.Y. Al Omar, Kent Thornburg, David J.P. Barker.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 09, 2013
  Objectives Studies of the placenta in pregnancies complicated by pre‐eclampsia have led to the suggestion that tissue along the length and breadth of its surface has different functions. A recent study in Saudi Arabia showed that the body size of newborn babies was related to the breadth of the surface at birth but not to its length. We have now examined whether the association between placental breadth and body size reflects large size of the baby from an early stage of gestation or rapid growth between early and late gestation. Methods We studied 230 women who gave birth to singleton babies in King Khalid Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In total, 176 had ultrasound measurements both before 28 weeks and at 28 weeks or later, which we define as early and late gestation. We used these to calculate growth velocities between early and late gestation, which we expressed as the change in standard deviation scores over a 10‐week period. Results The breadth of the placental surface was correlated with fetal growth velocity. The correlation coefficients were 0.24 (P = 0.002) for the head circumference, 0.24 (P = 0.001) for the biparietal diameter and 0.34 (P < 0.001) for the abdominal circumference. The length of the surface was not related to fetal growth velocity. Conclusions Tissue along the breadth of the placental surface may be more important than tissue along the length in the transfer of nutrients from mother to baby. This may be part of a wider phenomenon of regional differences in function across the placental surface. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:534–537, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 09, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22405   open full text
• The effects of market integration on childhood growth and nutritional status: The dual burden of under‐ and over‐nutrition in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon.
  Kelly Houck, Mark V. Sorensen, Flora Lu, Dayuma Alban, Kati Alvarez, David Hidobro, Citlali Doljanin, Ana Isabel Ona.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 09, 2013
  Objectives Market integration is an important source of cultural change exposing indigenous populations to epidemiologic and nutrition transitions. As children and adolescents are biologically sensitive to the health effects of market integration, we examine community variation of anthropometric indicators of nutritional status and growth among a cross‐cultural sample of Kichwa, Shuar, Huaorani, and Cofán indigenous groups in the northern Ecuadorian Amazon. Methods We measured height, weight, body mass index (BMI), upper arm circumference, and triceps skinfolds of 186 children and adolescents aged 2 to 18 years from seven communities. Anthropometric z‐scores were calculated based on the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. Comparisons were made with this US reference group, along with between community differences to contextually explore the impacts of varying degrees of market integration. Results We found a high prevalence of stunting in both boys (40%) and girls (34%). Adiposity increased with age and 40% of girls between 15 and 18 years old were overweight. There were large sex differences in body composition with higher BMI, arm circumference, and triceps skinfolds in adolescent girls. The Kichwa demonstrated the poorest growth outcomes and nutritional stress followed by the Huaorani and Shuar; yet distinctions in under‐ and over‐nutrition were evident within groups. Conclusion Market integration is a major factor influencing the developmental and lifestyle mismatch associated with the epidemiologic and nutrition transition in general, and the dual burden pattern of high rates of stunting yet adequate to above average short‐term nutritional status indicators found among indigenous Amazonian populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:524–533, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 09, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22404   open full text
• Nutritional status and its association with physical fitness, physical activity and parasitological indicators in youths from rural mozambique.
  Leonardo Nhantumbo, José António Ribeiro Maia, Fernanda Karina Dos Santos, Ilesh V. Jani, Eduardo Samo Gudo, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, António Prista.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 09, 2013
  Background Little information exists about the relationship of nutritional status and motor performance conditional on asymptomatic parasitemia in rural African children. Aims The aims of this study were to (1) determine if malnourished youths from rural African areas have lower levels of physical fitness (PF) and physical activity (PA) compared to normal weight youths, (2) verify the biological relevance of anthropometric criteria used to classify nutritional status in youth, and (3) determine the prevalence of parasitological indicators, and its association with nutritional status and PF. Methods The sample comprised 794 youths (6–17 years) from Calanga, a rural community in Mozambique. PF tests were selected from standardized test batteries, and PA was estimated by accelerometry. Nutritional status was defined according to WHO recommendations for stunting, wasting and normal weight. Parasitological indicators were determined based on stool specimens' analysis. Results In general terms the normal group out‐performed the other nutritional groups (stunted and wasted) for PF. However, no significant differences were found for PA among nutritional groups. There were also no significant differences in prevalence of intestinal parasites. Conclusions Nutritional status was not associated with PA levels or the prevalence of parasitological indicators in youth, but was related to physical performance. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:516–523, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 09, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22403   open full text
• Progesterone and estrogen responsiveness to father‐toddler interaction.
  Lee T. Gettler, Thomas W. Mcdade, Sonny S. Agustin, Christopher W. Kuzawa.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 04, 2013
  Objectives We assessed the responsiveness of salivary progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) to father‐child interaction, including testing for differences in short‐term hormonal change based on paternal characteristics. We also predicted that P4 exposure during the study period would relate positively to post‐interaction paternal mood. Methods We conducted an in‐home intervention study in which fathers (n = 44) played with their toddlers. Subjects provided saliva samples before interacting with their children, with additional collections 40 and 70 min later. Results E2 did not significantly change over the study period (P > 0.4). P4 declined significantly from baseline to 40 min (P < 0.05) and 70 min (P < 0.001). Men reporting that the interaction made them feel very happy/relaxed had greater P4 exposure from baseline through 70 min (area under the curve) compared with men reporting less positive post‐interaction mood (P < 0.05). This relationship persisted after controlling for cortisol. Men's % decrease in P4 (baseline to 40 min) was significantly greater if they had an infant (P < 0.05), while fathers' % decline in E2 (baseline to 70 min) was larger if they had more children (P < 0.05). Conclusions These results require replication but could indicate that grouping fathers with different levels of experience obscures meaningful variation in hormonal responses to child interaction. Our findings appear consistent with the effects of P4 as a mood enhancer and suggest future research should explore the possible role of P4 as hormonal mechanism that could reinforce or facilitate paternal investment. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:491–498, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 04, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22396   open full text
• Association of height and pubertal timing with lipoprotein subclass profile: Exploring the role of genetic and environmental effects.
  Aline Jelenkovic, Leonie H. Bogl, Richard J. Rose, Antti J. Kangas, Pasi Soininen, Mika Ala‐Korpela, Jaakko Kaprio, Karri Silventoinen.
  American Journal of Human Biology. May 04, 2013
  Objectives Little is known about the relationship between growth and lipoprotein profile. We aimed to analyze common genetic and environmental factors in the association of height from late childhood to adulthood and pubertal timing with serum lipid and lipoprotein subclass profile. Methods A longitudinal cohort of Finnish twin pairs (FinnTwin12) was analyzed using self‐reported height at 11–12, 14, 17 years and measured stature at adult age (21–24 years). Data were available for 719 individual twins including 298 complete pairs. Serum lipids and lipoprotein subclasses were measured by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Multivariate variance component models for twin data were fitted. Cholesky decomposition was used to partition the phenotypic covariation among traits into additive genetic and unique environmental correlations. Results In men, the strongest associations for both adult height and puberty were observed with total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, intermediate‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low‐density lipoprotein particle subclasses (max. r = −0.19). In women, the magnitude of the correlations was weaker (max. r = −0.13). Few associations were detected between height during adolescence and adult lipid profile. Early onset of puberty was related to an adverse lipid profile, but delayed pubertal development in girls was associated with an unfavorable profile, as well. All associations were mediated mainly by additive genetic factors, but unique environmental effects cannot be disregarded. Conclusions Early puberty and shorter adult height relate to higher concentrations of atherogenic lipids and lipoprotein particles in early adulthood. Common genetic effects behind these phenotypes substantially contribute to the observed associations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:465–472, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  May 04, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22381   open full text
• The cortisol response in policemen: Intraindividual variation, not concentration level, predicts truncal obesity.
  Dan S. Sharp, Michael E. Andrew, Desta B. Fekedulegn, Cecil M. Burchfiel, John M. Violanti, Jean Wactawski‐Wende, Diane B. Miller.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 20, 2013
  Objectives Chronic stress, characteristic of police work, affects the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis' control of cortisol production. Capacity to vary cortisol may be the appropriate measurement to interpret associations with chronic diseases, including obesity, best measured by variability within a person, not central tendency. Methods On each of 217 policemen, 18 saliva specimens were obtained for cortisol. Statistical models examined the associations of within‐subjects (W‐S) cortisol standard deviation (SD) and W‐S cortisol mean with waist circumference and four body composition indexes: BMI, and three derived from DEXA: fat‐mass, and trunk and extremities lean‐mass. Explained variance and the functional nature of associations are reported. Results Associations of anthropometrics with W‐S cortisol mean were not statistically significant at P < 0.05; all associations with W‐S cortisol SD were significant. The association of trunk lean mass index (LMIt) with W‐S cortisol SD dominated all models. Associations of W‐S cortisol SD with other indexes vanished when models contained LMIt ; when any other index was included in models predicting LMIt, associations with W‐S cortisol SD remained significant. The functional association between LMIt and W‐S cortisol SD is progressively “hockey stick,” monotonic increasing, and flattens at joint high values. Conclusions Results support inferences that LMIt measures visceral adiposity and W‐S cortisol variability appears to be an appropriate construct to measure in association with visceral adiposity. The “hockey stick” character of the association is consistent with other investigations suggesting obesity is associated with less W‐S cortisol variation; however, the monotonic increase and flattening of association at increasing W‐ScortisolSD values suggests a more complex association, potentially interpretable by allostasis models of causation. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:499–507, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 20, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22397   open full text
• Maturity‐associated variation in total and depot‐specific body fat in children and adolescents.
  Amanda E. Staiano, Stephanie T. Broyles, Alok K. Gupta, Robert M. Malina, Peter T. Katzmarzyk.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 06, 2013
  Objectives This study considered the association between sexual maturation and adiposity in children and adolescents, and examined the contribution of sexual maturation to ethnic differences in total and depot‐specific body fat. Methods The sample included 382 White and African American 5–18‐year‐olds. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and sexual maturity status (breast/genital and pubic hair stage) were assessed in a clinical setting. Total body fat (TBF) was measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry and abdominal subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Analysis of covariance adjusted for age was used to examine the association between sexual maturity status and adiposity, and linear regression adjusted for age was used to examine the influence of sexual maturation on ethnic differences in adiposity. Analysis of VAT also controlled for TBF. Significance was accepted at P < 0.05. Results Breast/genital stage was significantly associated with BMI, WC, TBF, and SAT in girls of both ethnic groups and in White boys. Breast stage was associated with VAT. Stage of pubic hair was significantly associated with TBF and VAT in White girls only. In girls, sexual maturation attenuated the ethnic effects on BMI and WC, but the ethnic effect in VAT persisted. In boys, sexual maturation did not attenuate ethnic differences on VAT and did not predict WC or SAT. Sexual maturity status independently explained variance in adiposity in girls only. Conclusions Sexual maturity status is an important determinant of pediatric adiposity and attenuates ethnic differences in girls' adiposity. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:473–479, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 06, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22380   open full text
• Microevolution, migration, and the population structure of five Amerindian populations from Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
  Phillip E. Melton, Norberto F. Baldi, Ramiro Barrantes, Michael H. Crawford.
  American Journal of Human Biology. April 04, 2013
  Objective This research examines the coevolution of languages and uniparental genetic marker (mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA] and nonrecombining Y‐chromosome [NRY]) variation within five Lower Central American (Rama, Chorotega, Maléku, Zapatón‐Huetar, and Abrojo‐Guaymí) Amerindian groups. This pattern occurred since European contact. Methods We examined mtDNA sequence variation from the hypervariable region 1 (HVS‐1) and NRY genetic variation using short tandem repeat (STR) loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, and DYS439) and NRY haplogroups (Q1a3a, Q1a3*, C3b, R1b1b2, E1b1, G2a2, and I) identified through single‐nucleotide polymorphisms. Phylogenetic analysis included multidimensional scaling (MDS), heterozygosity versus rii, and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). Results Eighteen mtDNA haplotypes were characterized in 131 participants with 94.6% of these assigned to the Amerindian mtDNA subclades, A2 and B2. The Amerindian NRY haplogroup, Q1a3a, was present in all five groups and ranged from 85% (Zapatón‐Huetar) to 35% (Chorotega). Four populations (Rama, Chorotega, Zapatón‐Huetar, and Abrojo‐Guaymí) were also characterized by the presence of NRY haplogroup R1b1b2 indicative of western European admixture. Seventy NRY STR haplotypes were identified of which 69 (97%) were population specific. MDS plots demonstrated genetic similarities between Mesoamericans and northern Chibchan Amerindian populations, absent in mtDNA analyses, which is further supported by heterozygosity versus rii results. Conclusions We conclude that although these linguistically related populations in geographic proximity demonstrate a high degree of paternal genetic differentiation, recent demographic events have dramatically altered the paternal genetic structure of the regions Amerindian populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:480–490, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  April 04, 2013   doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22382   open full text