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The goal of assessing psychosocial stress as a process and outcome in naturalistic (i.e., field) settings is applicable across the social, biological, and health sciences. Meaningful measurement of biology-in-context is, however, far from simple or straightforward. In this brief methods review, we introduce theoretical framings, methodological conventions, and ethical concerns around field-collection of markers of psychosocial stress that have emerged from 50 years of research at the intersection of anthropology and human biology. Highlighting measures of psychosocial stress outcomes most often used in biocultural studies, we identify the circumstances under which varied measures are most appropriately applied and provide examples of the types of cutting-edge research questions these measures can address. We explain that field-based psychosocial stress measures embedded in different body systems are neither equivalent nor interchangeable, but this recognition strengthens the study of stress as always simultaneously cultural and biological, situated in local ecologies, social--political structures, and time.

Background: Aquí Entre Nos (Between Us) is a community-based participatory research project to engage rural, ethno-racially diverse hotel housekeepers in a right to work state during a time of national anti-immigrant policy, wildfires and emergence of a global pandemic. Objectives: We aimed to (1) build trust and social support with the hotel housekeeping community, (2) learn about the occupational health, safety, and workers' rights challenges, strategies, and solutions held by workers, and (3) develop a workforce-driven research and action agenda to improve labor and health conditions. Methods: Participatory mixed methods rooted in popular education are described to form an advisory board and engage the workforce. Lessons Learned: Trusted relationships built through community organizing around immigration, housing, and minimum wage were critical to engage and drive a worker centered research agenda. Conclusions: Despite challenges, housekeeper advisors defined a research agenda that addressed immediate-and long-term needs of the workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and its primary end product, the glucocorticoid cortisol, are major components of the evolved human stress response. However, most studies have examined these systems among populations in high‐income settings, which differ from the high pathogen and limited resource contexts in which the HPA axis functioned for most of human evolution.We investigated variability in diurnal salivary cortisol patterns among 298 Indigenous Shuar from Amazonian Ecuador (147 males, 151 females; age 2–86 years), focusing on the effects of age, biological sex, and body mass index (BMI) in shaping differences in diurnal cortisol production. Saliva samples were collected three times daily (waking, 30 minutes post‐waking, evening) for three consecutive days to measure key cortisol parameters: levels at waking, the cortisol awakening response, the diurnal slope, and total daily output.Age was positively associated with waking levels and total daily output, with Shuar juveniles and adolescents displaying significantly lower levels than adults (p < .05). Sex was not a significant predictor of cortisol levels (p > .05), as Shuar males and females displayed similar patterns of diurnal cortisol production across the life course. Moreover, age, sex, and BMI significantly interacted to moderate the rate of diurnal cortisol decline (p = .027). Overall, Shuar demonstrated relatively lower cortisol concentrations than high‐income populations.This study expands the documented range of global variation in HPA axis activity and diurnal cortisol production and provides important insights into the plasticity of human stress physiology across diverse developmental and socioecological settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with age‐related chronic disease, and co‐infection with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) may compound disease risk. We aimed to assess the frequency of CMV infection and its relationship with age among EBV seropositive individuals in an Indigenous Amazonian population. Methods: We report concentrations of CMV and EBV antibodies in dried blood spot samples collected from 157 EBV positive Shuar participants aged 15–86 years (60.5% female) to assess CMV infection rate. We used logistic and linear regression models to examine associations among CMV, EBV, and age, adjusting for sex, geographic region, and body mass index. Results: Nearly two‐thirds (63.1%) of EBV seropositive participants were also CMV seropositive. A 1‐year increase in age was associated with 3.4% higher odds of CMV infection (OR [95% CI]: 1.034 [1.009–1.064], p =.012), but CMV antibody concentration was not significantly associated with age or EBV antibody concentration among co‐infected individuals. Conclusions: Herpesvirus‐related immunosenescence may be important to understanding chronic disease risk among Shuar. Future studies should further explore the role of co‐infection in shaping age‐related changes in immune function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Homeless opioid treatment clients who transition into housing generally demonstrate better outcomes, but housing environments vary widely and may not benefit racial/ethnic minority populations equally. We sought to identify how race/ethnicity moderates the association between positive opioid treatment response and moving into dependent or independent living environments. Methods: We used the Treatment Episode Dataset-Discharges (2018–2019) to identify outpatient treatment clients who were homeless at admission and indicated heroin or other opioids as their primary drug of choice (n = 20,021). We defined positive treatment response as a reduction in opioid use between admission and discharge. We used multivariable logistic regression to model treatment response. We included an interaction between housing at discharge (remained homeless [reference], dependent living, or independent living) and race/ethnicity, and adjusted for relevant confounders. Results: Transitioning from homeless to dependent living was positively associated with treatment response among White (aOR = 3.57, 95% CI = 3.15-4.06), Hispanic (aOR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.55-2.86), and Black clients (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.41-2.27), but no association was observed for homeless American Indian/Alaska Native clients. Transitioning from homeless to independent living was strongly associated with treatment response among all groups with the strongest association observed among White clients (aOR = 4.70, 95% CI = 4.26-5.19). Conclusions: Interventions aimed at improving OUD treatment outcomes among homeless clients should identify individual and structural factors that support moving into fully housed and independent living environments. Dependent living offers needed support during crises, but should be temporary and priority should be placed on independent, permanent, and autonomous living environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anemia is an important global health challenge. We investigate anemia prevalence among Indigenous Shuar of Ecuador to expand our understanding of population‐level variation, and to test hypotheses about how anemia variation is related to age, sex, and market integration. Methods: Hemoglobin levels were measured in a total sample of 1650 Shuar participants (ages 6 months to 86 years) from 46 communities between 2008 and 2017 to compare anemia prevalence across regions characterized by different levels of market integration. Results: Shuar anemia rates among children under 15 years (12.2%), adult women (10.5%), and adult men (5.3%) were less than half of those previously documented in other neo‐tropical Indigenous populations. Anemia prevalence did not vary between more traditional and market integrated communities (OR = 0.47, p =.52). However, anemia was negatively associated with body mass index (OR = 0.47, p =.002). Conclusions: Compared to other South American Indigenous populations, anemia prevalence is relatively low among Shuar of Ecuador and invariant with market integration. Understanding this pattern can provide valuable insights into anemia prevention among at‐risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood overweight and obesity (OW/OB) is increasingly centered in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as rural populations experience market integration and lifeway change. Most explanatory studies have relied on imprecise estimates of children's energy expenditure, restricting understanding of the relative effects of changes in diet and energy expenditure on the development of OW/OB in transitioning contexts.Objectives: This study used gold-standard measurements of children's energy expenditure to investigate the changes that underlie OW/OB and the nutrition/epidemiologic transition.Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from "rural" (n = 43) Shuar forager-horticulturalist children and their "peri-urban" (n = 34) Shuar counterparts (age 4-12 y) in Amazonian Ecuador. Doubly labeled water measurements of total energy expenditure (TEE; kcal/d), respirometry measurements of resting energy expenditure (REE; kcal/d), and measures of diet, physical activity, immune activity, and market integration were analyzed primarily using regression models.Results: Peri-urban children had higher body fat percentage (+8.1%, P < 0.001), greater consumption of market-acquired foods (multiple P < 0.001), lower concentrations of immune activity biomarkers (multiple P < 0.05), and lower REE (-108 kcal/d, P = 0.002) than rural children. Despite these differences, peri-urban children's TEE was indistinguishable from that of rural children (P = 0.499). Moreover, although sample-wide IgG concentrations and household incomes predicted REE (both P < 0.05), no examined household, immune activity, or physical activity measures were related to children's overall TEE (all P > 0.09). Diet and energy expenditure associations with adiposity demonstrate that only reported consumption of market-acquired "protein" and "carbohydrate" foods predicted children's body fat levels (multiple P < 0.05).Conclusions: Despite underlying patterns in REE, Shuar children's TEE is not reliably related to market integration and-unlike dietary measures-does not predict adiposity. These findings suggest a leading role of changing dietary intake in transitions to OW/OB in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections have many negative health outcomes (e.g., diarrhea, nutritional deficiencies) that can also exacerbate poverty. These infections are generally highest among low-income populations, many of which are also undergoing market integration (MI; increased participation in a market-based economy). Yet the direct impact of MI-related social and environmental changes on STH infection patterns is poorly understood, making it unclear which lifestyle factors should be targeted to better control disease spread. This cross-sectional study examines if household infrastructure associated with greater MI is associated with lower STH burdens among Indigenous Ecuadorian Shuar. Methods: Kato-Katz fecal smears were used to determine STH infection status and intensity (n = 620 participants; 308 females, 312 males, aged 6 months—86 years); Ascaris lumbricoides (ascarid) and Trichuris trichiura (whipworm) were the primary infection types detected. Structured interviews assessing lifestyle patterns (e.g., measures of household infrastructure) measured participant MI. Multilevel regression analyses and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models tested associations between MI measures and STH infection status or intensity, controlling for individual and community characteristics. Results: Participants residing in more market-integrated households exhibited lower infection rates and intensities than those in less market integrated households. Parasite infection status and T. trichiura infection intensity were lower among participants living in houses with wood floors than those with dirt floors, while individuals using well or piped water from a spring exhibited lower A. lumbricoides infection intensities compared to those using river or stream water. Unexpectedly, latrine type was not significantly related to STH infection status or intensity. These results suggest that sources of exposure differ between the two helminth species. Conclusions: This study documents associations between household measures and STH infection among an Indigenous population undergoing rapid MI. These findings can help healthcare programs better target interventions and reduce STH exposure among at-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigates bone density across the life course among Bolivian Tsimane and Ecuadorian Shuar of Amazonia. Both groups are rural, high‐fertility forager‐horticulturalists, with high lifetime physical activity levels. We test whether Tsimane and Shuar bone density patterns are different from each other, and if both groups are characterized by lower osteoporosis risk compared to U.S. references. Methods: Anthropometric and calcaneal bone density data, obtained via quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS), were collected from 678 Tsimane and 235 Shuar (13–92 years old). Population and sex differences in QUS values (estimated bone mineral density, speed of sound, broadband ultrasound attenuation) by age group were assessed using Mann–Whitney U tests. Age‐related change and age at peak QUS value were determined using polynomial regressions. One‐way analyses of covariance assessed population‐level differences in QUS values by age group adjusting for body mass index. Participants aged 50+ years at elevated osteoporosis risk were identified using a T score < −1.8; binomial tests assessed risk compared to U.S. references. Results: Shuar males and females <50 years old have QUS values 3–36% higher than Tsimane, with differences evident in adolescence. Among Tsimane and Shuar, 49 and 23% of participants aged 50+ years old, respectively, are at high risk for osteoporosis, compared to 34% of Americans; Shuar osteoporosis risk is comparable to Americans, while Tsimane risk is elevated. Conclusions: Disparate patterns in QUS values are documented for Tsimane and Shuar, with pronounced differences early in life. Potential explanations for differences include gene–environment interactions and/or degree of market integration, which influences diet, activity profiles, pathogen exposures, and other lifestyle covariates. As Tsimane osteoporosis risk is greater than in the United States, findings point to alternative risk factors for low bone density that are not readily discernible in industrialized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Little research exists documenting levels of intestinal inflammation among indigenous populations where exposure to macroparasites, like soil‐transmitted helminths (STHs), is common. Reduced STH exposure is hypothesized to contribute to increased prevalence of elevated intestinal inflammation in wealthy nations, likely due to coevolutionary histories between STHs and human immune systems that favored anti‐inflammatory pathways. Here, we document levels of intestinal inflammation and test associations with STH infection among the Shuar of Ecuador, an indigenous population undergoing socioeconomic/lifestyle changes that influence their hygienic environment. We predict that fecal calprotectin (FC; a measure of intestinal inflammation) will be lower in STH infected individuals and that FC will be negatively associated with infection intensity. Methods: Stool samples to analyze FC levels and STH infection were collected from 69 Shuar participants (ages 5–75 years). Children (<15 years) and adults (15+ years) were analyzed separately to understand the role of exposure in immune system development and the intestinal inflammatory response. Results: Two species of STH were present: Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura. The relationships between infection and intestinal inflammation were age‐ and species‐specific. While no significant relationships were found among adults, children who were singly infected with T. trichiura had lower FC levels than uninfected children. Infection intensity was not significantly associated with FC in children or adults. Conclusions: These preliminary results provide limited support for our hypotheses, documenting tentative age‐ and species‐specific associations between FC and infection status. Findings may point to the importance of species‐specific STH exposure during immune system development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Perceived income adequacy is positively associated with self-rated health (SRH) and quality of life (QOL) among adults in higher-income countries. Additionally, older individuals often report higher levels of income adequacy. However, it is unclear if these associations, documented primarily in high-income countries, are also evident across economically and culturally distinctive low- and middle-income countries. Methods Data were drawn from the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a study of adults aged 50 years or older in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and South Africa. Smaller samples of younger adults (18–49 years) were included for comparison purposes. Participants reported income adequacy, SRH, and QOL. Associations between age and income adequacy and between income adequacy and SRH/QOL were examined using country-specific logistic regression analysis. Results Older adults in China and Russia were more likely to report better income adequacy than their 18- to 49-year-old counterparts; however, the opposite was observed in Ghana and India. SRH and QOL improved as income adequacy increased in all countries. Discussion As expected, income adequacy was correlated with SRH and QOL. However, the relationship between age and income adequacy varied cross-culturally, potentially due to differences in familial and governmental financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis represents an important and evolutionarily ancient biological pathway linking physical and psychological stressors with human health. Despite considerable research exploring the physiological stress response among developed populations, few studies have examined HPA activity in non-industrialized contexts, restricting understanding of variation in human stress reactivity across global socio-ecological diversity. The present study addresses this shortcoming by investigating diurnal cortisol rhythms among Garisakang forager-horticulturalists of remote, lowland Papua New Guinea. Using a large sample of repeated salivary cortisol measurements from 169 participants (age 4-70 years), multilevel growth curve models were constructed to assess Garisakang waking cortisol concentrations and diurnal cortisol slopes. As predicted, results demonstrate identifiable but substantially diminished diurnal cortisol rhythms relative to those of industrialized populations. Sample-wide, Garisakang cortisol concentrations are highest upon waking (mean = 4.86 nmol/L) and decrease throughout the day at a mean rate of only −0.18 nmol/L/h or −6.20%/h. Age and sex significantly predict evaluated cortisol parameters in ways not consistently reported among industrialized populations, suggesting that Garisakang diurnal cortisol rhythms are defined by distinct ontogenetic trajectories across the lifespan. These findings highlight cross-cultural diversity in HPA activity and have important implications for understanding basic mechanisms of the physiological stress response in contexts of chronic physical stressors such as limited nutrition, heavy burden of infectious disease, and high levels of physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection peaks during childhood and varies by sex. The impact of market integration (MI) (increasing production for and consumption from a market-based economy) on these infection patterns, however, is unclear. In this study, STH infection is examined by sex and age among indigenous Shuar inhabiting two regions of Amazonian Ecuador: (1) the modestly market-integrated Upano Valley (UV) and (2) the more traditional Cross-Cutucú (CC) region. Methods: Kato-Katz fecal smears were examined for parasite presence and infection intensity. Factorial ANOVAs and post hoc simple effects analyses were performed by sex to compare infection intensity between regions and age categories (infant/child, juvenile/adolescent, adult). Results: Significant age and regional differences in Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infection were detected. Overall, infants/children and juveniles/adolescents displayed higher parasite loads than adults. CC females exhibited higher A. lumbricoides loads than UV females, while the opposite pattern was observed for T. trichiura infection in males. Conclusions: Regional infection patterns varied by sex and parasite species, perhaps due to MI-linked environmental and lifestyle changes. These results have public health implications for the identification of individuals at risk for infection and contribute to ongoing efforts to track changes and alleviate STH infection in indigenous populations undergoing MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity impacts the ageing process; yet, few studies have examined relationships among physical activity, functional abilities and health among older adults in non-Western settings. Aim: This study tests for associations among measures of physical activity, function and self-report health conditions among 200 older adults (49--50 years old) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Methods: Seven consecutive days of accelerometry data were used in measures of physical activity (Total Daily Energy Expenditure [TDEE], Physical Activity Level [PAL], Daily Average Activity Count [AC] and Activity Energy Expenditure [AEE]). Measures of physical function included grip strength, timed walk and daily average sit time. Participants reported if they had been diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and/or depression. Results: All four measures of physical activity were positively associated with grip strength (p ≤ 0.05). AC was negatively associated with timed walk (p ≤ 0.05), and both AC and AEE were negatively associated with daily average sit time (p ≤ 0.05). Women who reported diagnosis of hypertension had lower PAL and AC (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: This study provides further evidence for a positive relationship between physical activity and functional ability among older adults and between physical activity and cardiovascular health among women in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Market integration (MI)—increasing production for and consumption from a market-based economy—is drastically altering traditional ways of life and environmental conditions among indigenous Amazonian peoples. The effects of MI on the biology and health of Amazonian children and adolescents, however, remain unclear. Aim:This study examines the impact of MI on sub-adult body size and nutritional status at the population, regional and household levels among the Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador. Subjects and methods:Anthropometric data were collected between 2005–2014 from 2164 Shuar (aged 2–19 years) living in two geographic regions differing in general degree of MI. High-resolution household economic, lifestyle and dietary data were collected from a sub-sample of 631 participants. Analyses were performed to investigate relationships between body size and year of data collection, region and specific aspects of household MI. Results:Results from temporal and regional analyses suggest that MI has a significant and overall positive impact on Shuar body size and nutritional status. However, household-level results exhibit nuanced and heterogeneous specific effects of MI underlying these overarching relationships. Conclusion:This study provides novel insight into the complex socio-ecological pathways linking MI, physical growth and health among the Shuar and other indigenous Amazonian populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives Knemometry, the precise measurement of lower leg (LL) length, suggests that childhood short-term (e.g., weekly) growth is a dynamic, nonlinear process. However, owing to the large size and complexity of the traditional knemometer device, previous study of short-term growth among children has been restricted predominantly to clinical settings in industrialized Western nations. The aim of the present study is to address this limitation and promote broader understandings of global variation in childhood development by: (1) describing a custom-built portable knemometer and assessing its performance in the field; and (2) demonstrating the potential application of such a device by characterizing childhood short-term LL growth among the indigenous Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador. Materials and Methods Mixed-longitudinal LL length data were collected weekly from 336 Shuar children age 5-12 years old using the custom portable knemometer ( n = 1,145 total observations). Device performance and Shuar short-term LL growth were explored using linear mixed effects models and descriptive statistics. Results The portable knemometer performed well across a range of participant characteristics and possesses a low technical error of measurement of 0.18 mm. Shuar childhood LL growth averages 0.47 mm/week (SD = 0.75 mm/week), but exhibits large between- and within-individual variation. Discussion Knemometry can be reliably performed in the field, providing a means for evaluating childhood short-term growth among genetically and ecologically diverse populations. Preliminary findings suggest that Shuar weekly LL growth is comparable in mean magnitude but likely more variable than reported for healthy Western children. Future work will further explore these patterns. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:353-357, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Information concerning physical growth among small-scale populations remains limited, yet such data are critical to local health efforts and to foster basic understandings of human life history and variation in childhood development. Using a large dataset and robust modeling methods, this study aims to describe growth from birth to adulthood among the indigenous Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador. Methods Mixed-longitudinal measures of height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) were collected from Shuar participants ( n = 2,463; age: 0-29 years). Centile growth curves and tables were created for each anthropometric variable of interest using Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale, and Shape (GAMLSS). Pseudo-velocity and Lambda-Mu-Sigma curves were generated to further investigate Shuar patterns of growth and to facilitate comparison with United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention and multinational World Health Organization growth references. Results The Shuar are small throughout life and exhibit complex patterns of growth that differ substantially from those of international references. Similar to other Amazonians, Shuar growth in weight compares more favorably to references than growth in height, resulting in BMI curves that approximate international medians. Several additional characteristics of Shuar development are noteworthy, including large observed variation in body size early in life, significant infant growth faltering, extended male growth into adulthood, and a markedly early female pubertal growth spurt in height. Phenotypic plasticity and genetic selection in response to local environmental factors may explain many of these patterns. Conclusions Providing a detailed reference of growth for the Shuar and other Amazonian populations, this study possesses direct clinical application and affords valuable insight into childhood health and the ecology of human growth. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:16-30, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-reported (SR) body mass index (BMI) values are often used to determine obesity prevalence. However, individuals frequently overestimate their height and underestimate their weight, resulting in artificially lower obesity prevalence rates. These patterns are especially apparent among older adults and overweight individuals. The present cross-sectional study uses nationally representative datasets from five countries to assess the accuracy of SR BMI values in diverse settings. Methods: Samples of older adults (=50 years old) and comparative samples of younger adults (18-49 years old) were drawn from five middle-income countries (China, India, Mexico, Russian Federation, and South Africa) in the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). Participant-reported and researcher-obtained height and weight measures were used to calculate SR and measured BMI, respectively. Paired t-tests assessed differences between SR and measured BMI values by country. Linear regressions examined the contribution of measured weight and age to differences between SR and measured BMI. Results: Significant differences between SR and measured BMI values were observed (p < 0.05), but the direction of these discrepancies varied by country, age, and sex. Measured weight significantly contributed to differences between SR and measured BMI in all countries (p < 0.01). Age did not contribute significantly to variation in BMI discrepancy, except in China (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results suggest that SR BMI may not accurately reflect measured BMI in middle-income countries, but the direction of this discrepancy varies by country. This has considerable implications for obesity-related disease estimates reliant on SR data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic diseases contribute a large share of disease burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Chronic diseases have a tendency to occur simultaneously and where there are two or more such conditions, this is termed as 'multimorbidity'. Multimorbidity is associated with adverse health outcomes, but limited research has been undertaken in LMICs. Therefore, this study examines the prevalence and correlates of multimorbidity as well as the associations between multimorbidity and self-rated health, activities of daily living (ADLs), quality of life, and depression across six LMICs. Methods: Data was obtained from the WHO's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave-1 (2007/10). This was a cross-sectional population based survey performed in LMICs, namely China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa, including 42,236 adults aged 18 years and older. Multimorbidity was measured as the simultaneous presence of two or more of eight chronic conditions including angina pectoris, arthritis, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, and vision impairment. Associations with four health outcomes were examined, namely ADL limitation, self-rated health, depression, and a quality of life index. Random-intercept multilevel regression models were used on pooled data from the six countries. Results: The prevalence of morbidity and multimorbidity was 54.2% and 21.9%, respectively, in the pooled sample of six countries. Russia had the highest prevalence of multimorbidity (34.7%) whereas China had the lowest (20.3%). The likelihood of multimorbidity was higher in older age groups and was lower in those with higher socioeconomic status. In the pooled sample, the prevalence of 1+ ADL limitation was 14%, depression 5.7%, self-rated poor health 11.6%, and mean quality of life score was 54.4. Substantial cross-country variations were seen in the four health outcome measures. The prevalence of 1+ ADL limitation, poor self-rated health, and depression increased whereas quality of life declined markedly with an increase in number of diseases. Conclusions: Findings highlight the challenge of multimorbidity in LMICs, particularly among the lower socioeconomic groups, and the pressing need for reorientation of health care resources considering the distribution of multimorbidity and its adverse effect on health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Low bone density and osteoporosis prevalence, while well-documented in wealthy nations, are poorly studied in rural, non-clinical contexts in economically developing regions such as Latin America. This study contributes preliminary osteoporosis risk data for a rural Colono (mestizo) population from Amazonian Ecuador. Methods Anthropometrics were collected for 119 adult participants (74 females, 45 males [50-90 years old]). Heel bone density and T-scores were recorded using calcaneal ultrasonometry Results Approximately, 33.6% of the participants had low bone density and were at high-risk for osteoporosis. Four times as many females as males were considered high-risk. Consistent with epidemiological literature, advancing age was significantly associated with lower bone density values ( P = 0.001). Conclusions Low bone density and osteoporosis prevalence are expected to increase in this and other economically transitioning populations, yet infrastructure to monitor this changing epidemiological landscape is almost non-existent. Human biologists are uniquely positioned to contribute data from remote populations, a critical step toward initiating increased resource allocation for diagnosis and prevention. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:139-142, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Changes in sleep patterns often occur in older adults. Previous studies have documented associations between sleep duration, sleep quality, and obesity risk in older individuals, yet few studies have examined these trends in lower-income countries. The present cross-sectional study uses nationally representative datasets from six countries to examine these relationships. Methods Two hypotheses related to obesity risk and sleep patterns were tested using data from the first wave of the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE). This longitudinal study draws on samples of older adults ( >50 years old) in six middle-income countries (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russian Federation, and South Africa). Self-report data were used to measure sleep duration, sleep quality, lifestyle and sociodemographic information, while anthropometric measurements were collected to assess body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the relationship between sleep patterns and obesity risk while controlling for lifestyle factors. Results Shorter sleep durations in both men and women were significantly associated with higher BMI and WC measures ( P < 0.05). Low sleep quality did not significantly contribute to increased obesity risk. Surprisingly, high sleep quality was significantly associated with increased male BMI and WC in China and India ( P < 0.01). Conclusions This study documented an association between short sleep duration and increased obesity risk, which is important given the global increase of obesity-related diseases. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 26:803-812, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Market integration (MI), the suite of social and cultural changes that occur with economic development, has been associated with negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease; however, key questions remain about how this transition manifests at the local level. Aim: The present paper investigates the effects of MI on health among Shuar, an indigenous lowland Ecuadorian population, with the goal of better understanding the mechanisms responsible for this health transition. Subjects and methods: This study examines associations between measures of MI and several dimensions of cardiovascular and metabolic health (fasting glucose, lipids [LDL, HDL and total cholesterol; triglycerides] and blood pressure) among 348 adults. Results: Overall, Shuar males and females have relatively favourable cardiovascular and metabolic health. Shuar who live closer to town have higher total ( p < 0.001) and HDL cholesterol ( p < 0.001), while Shuar in more remote regions have higher diastolic blood pressure ( p = 0.007). HDL cholesterol is positively associated with consumption of market foods ( r = 0.140; p = 0.045) and ownership of consumer products ( r = 0.184; p = 0.029). Conclusions: This study provides evidence that MI among Shuar is not a uniformly negative process but instead produces complex cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clinical and epidemiological research suggest that bone mineral density (BMD) in women is shaped by various reproductive factors such as parity and lactation patterns. However, the extent of these effects on BMD remains unclear because of contradictory findings and a focus on industrialized populations. Because fertility patterns in these groups are vastly different than those of women from non-Western, subsistence populations, our current understanding of the reproductive effects on skeletal health is incomplete. Using a life history perspective, this study examines the relationship between reproductive factors and bone density among women from the Indigenous Shuar population, an Amazonian Ecuadorian forager-horticulturalist group. Methods: This preliminary, cross-sectional study included 130 premenopausal and postmenopausal women (14-86 years old) from the Morona-Santiago region of Ecuador. Anthropometrics were recorded, as was estimated BMD using a calcaneal ultrasonometer. A reproductive history questionnaire was administered that included questions regarding menarche, parity, lactation patterns, and menopause. Results: Among postmenopausal women, early menarche and greater stature were significantly associated with higher bone density values. Among premenopausal women, few significant relationships between bone values and reproductive variables were documented; effects of lactation appeared to be transient and restored following weaning. Conclusions: Although preliminary and not based on longitudinal data, these findings suggest that the effects of reproduction are transient as the system of calcium homeostasis in premenopausal women efficiently restores the bone loss that results from metabolically active reproductive states. Further, this research suggests that the timing of early life history events may canalize bone density phenotype. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a central component of innate immune defenses, and high sensitivity CRP has emerged as an important biomarker of chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk. Prior analyses of CRP variability have reported stable between-individual differences in CRP over time, but a limitation of current knowledge is that it is based on research conducted in post-epidemiologic transition populations. Methods: This study evaluated CRP variability among adults in the southeastern region of the Ecuadorian Amazon where rates of infectious diseases remain high. Blood samples were collected from 52 adults at four weekly sampling intervals and were quantified using a high-sensitivity immunoassay. Results: Median CRP concentration was 0.52 mg/l. About 34.6% of participants had CRP >3 mg/l at one time point, but no individuals had CRP >3 mg/l across two or more sampling intervals, and within-individual correlations revealed low levels of stable, between-individual differences in CRP. The application of current guidelines for the assessment of chronic inflammation failed to detect a single case of 'high risk' CRP. Conclusions: This study is the first to investigate CRP variability in a nonindustrialized, high infectious disease environment. It documents a pattern of variation over time that is distinct from prior research, with no evidence for chronic low-grade inflammation. These results may have substantial implications for research on inflammation and diseases of aging globally, as well as for scientific understandings of the regulation of inflammation. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a study which examined activity patterns and energy use regulation among indigenous Shuar, an Ecuadorian forager-horticulturist population undergoing economic and lifestyle change, using accelerometry technology. Statistical analyses are presented. It notes that the generalized additive modeling (GAM) procedure was used to examine the age and sex patterning of activity levels. The ethnographic context is also analyzed.

Background: The peak shift model predicts that the age-profile of a pathogen's prevalence depends upon its transmission rate, peaking earlier in populations with higher transmission and declining as partial immunity is acquired. Helminth infections are associated with increased immunoglobulin E (IgE), which may convey partial immunity and influence the peak shift. Although studies have noted peak shifts in helminths, corresponding peak shifts in total IgE have not been investigated, nor has the age-patterning been carefully examined across populations. We test for differences in the age-patterning of IgE between two South American forager-horticulturalist populations and the United States: the Tsimane of Bolivia (n = 832), the Shuar of Ecuador (n = 289), and the U.S. NHANES (n = 8,336). We then examine the relationship between total IgE and helminth prevalences in the Tsimane. Methodology/Principal Findings: Total IgE levels were assessed in serum and dried blood spots and age-patterns examined with non-linear regression models. Tsimane had the highest IgE (geometric mean = 8,182 IU/ml), followed by Shuar (1,252 IU/ml), and NHANES (52 IU/ml). Consistent with predictions, higher population IgE was associated with steeper increases at early ages and earlier peaks: Tsimane IgE peaked at 7 years, Shuar at 10 years, and NHANES at 17 years. For Tsimane, the age-pattern was compared with fecal helminth prevalences. Overall, 57% had detectable eggs or larva, with hookworm (45.4%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (19.9%) the most prevalent. The peak in total IgE occurred around the peak in A. lumbricoides, which was associated with higher IgE in children <10, but with lower IgE in adolescents. Conclusions: The age-patterning suggests a peak shift in total IgE similar to that seen in helminth infections, particularly A. lumbricoides. This age-patterning may have implications for understanding the effects of helminths on other health outcomes, such as allergy, growth, and response to childhood vaccination. Author Summary: Infection with parasitic worms, known as helminths, alters the immune system, causing individuals to produce high levels of a type of antibody known as immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE is typically very low in western populations, but is many times higher where helminth infections are common, particularly indigenous populations in South America. Helminths infect more than one seventh of the world's population. Since helminths tend to infect people at younger ages in areas where they are more common, a disproportionate number of those affected are schoolchildren. In this paper we examine IgE levels in two indigenous South American groups in comparison to levels in the United States. In these groups we find that IgE levels are not only higher, but that they also reach their highest levels at earlier ages in more infected populations. This finding is important since effects on immune function, including IgE production, may have additional consequences if they occur at young ages, changing the development of allergy and asthma, growth, and response to vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava beer, or chicha, is typically consumed daily by the indigenous Shuar people of the Ecuadorian Amazon. This traditional beverage made from cassava tuber (Manihot esculenta) is thought to improve nutritional quality and flavor while extending shelf life in a tropical climate. Bacteria responsible for chicha fermentation could be a source of microbes for the human microbiome, but little is known regarding the microbiology of chicha. We investigated bacterial community composition of chicha batches using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. Fermented chicha samples were collected from seven Shuar households in two neighboring villages in the Morona-Santiago region of Ecuador, and the composition of the bacterial communities within each chicha sample was determined by sequencing a region of the 16S ribosomal gene. Members of the genus Lactobacillus dominated all samples. Significantly greater phylogenetic similarity was observed among chicha samples taken within a village than those from different villages. Community composition varied among chicha samples, even those separated by short geographic distances, suggesting that ecological and/or evolutionary processes, including human-mediated factors, may be responsible for creating locally distinct ferments. Our results add to evidence from other fermentation systems suggesting that traditional fermentation may be a form of domestication, providing endemic beneficial inocula for consumers, but additional research is needed to identify the mechanisms and extent of microbial dispersal.

To address claims of human exceptionalism, we determine where humans fit within the greater mammalian distribution of reproductive inequality. We show that humans exhibit lower reproductive skew (i.e., inequality in the number of surviving offspring) among males and smaller sex differences in reproductive skew than most other mammals, while nevertheless falling within the mammalian range. Additionally, female reproductive skew is higher in polygynous human populations than in polygynous nonhumans mammals on average. This patterning of skew can be attributed in part to the prevalence of monogamy in humans compared to the predominance of polygyny in nonhuman mammals, to the limited degree of polygyny in the human societies that practice it, and to the importance of unequally held rival resources to women's fitness. The muted reproductive inequality observed in humans appears to be linked to several unusual characteristics of our species-including high levels of cooperation among males, high dependence on unequally held rival resources, complementarities between maternal and paternal investment, as well as social and legal institutions that enforce monogamous norms.

Children's metabolic energy expenditure is central to evolutionary and epidemiological frameworks for understanding variation in human phenotype and health. Nonetheless, the impact of a physically active lifestyle and heavy burden of infectious disease on child metabolism remains unclear. Using energetic, activity, and biomarker measures, we show that Shuar forager-horticulturalist children of Amazonian Ecuador are ~25% more physically active and, in association with immune activity, have ~20% greater resting energy expenditure than children from industrial populations. Despite these differences, Shuar children's total daily energy expenditure, measured using doubly labeled water, is indistinguishable from industrialized counterparts. Trade-offs in energy allocation between competing physiological tasks, within a constrained energy budget, appear to shape childhood phenotypic variation (e.g., patterns of growth). These trade-offs may contribute to the lifetime obesity and metabolic health disparities that emerge during rapid economic development., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).)

Economic development is marked by dramatic increases in the incidence of microbiome-associated diseases, such as autoimmune diseases and metabolic syndromes, but the lifestyle changes that drive alterations in the human microbiome are not known. We measured market integration as a proxy for economically related lifestyle attributes, such as ownership of specific market goods that index degree of market integration and components of traditional and nontraditional (more modern) house structure and infrastructure, and profiled the fecal microbiomes of 213 participants from a contiguous, indigenous Ecuadorian population. Despite relatively modest differences in lifestyle across the population, greater economic development correlated with significantly lower within-host diversity, higher between-host dissimilarity, and a decrease in the relative abundance of the bacterium Prevotella . These microbiome shifts were most strongly associated with more modern housing, followed by reduced ownership of traditional subsistence lifestyle-associated items. IMPORTANCE Previous research has reported differences in the gut microbiome between populations residing in wealthy versus poorer countries, leading to the assertion that lifestyle changes associated with economic development promote changes in the gut microbiome that promote the proliferation of microbiome-associated diseases. However, a direct relationship between economic development and the gut microbiome has not previously been shown. We surveyed the gut microbiomes of a single indigenous population undergoing economic development and found significant associations between features of the gut microbiome and lifestyle changes associated with economic development. These findings suggest that even the earliest stages of economic development can drive changes in the gut microbiome, which may provide a warning sign for the development of microbiome-associated diseases.

Background: Alterations in sleep architecture are common among older adults. Previous studies have documented associations between sleep duration, sleep quality, and cognitive performance in older individuals, yet few studies have examined these trends using population-based samples from non-Western societies. The present cross-sectional study uses nationally representative datasets from six countries to test several hypotheses related to sleep patterns and cognitive function., Methods: Data were drawn from the first wave of the World Health Organization's study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE), a longitudinal study using samples of older adults (≥ 50 years old) in 6 middle-income countries (China, Ghana, India, Russian Federation, South Africa, and Mexico). Self-report data provided information on sleep quality and sleep duration over the previous 2 nights, and 5 cognitive tests (immediate and delayed verbal recall, forward and backward digit span, and verbal fluency) were used to create a composite z-score of cognitive performance., Results: Individuals with intermediate sleep durations (> 6-9 h/night) exhibited significantly higher cognitive scores than individuals with short sleep (0-6 h/night; p < 0.001) or long sleep duration (> 9 h/night; p < 0.001). Self-reported sleep quality was positively correlated with cognitive z-score (p < 0.05). Significant sex differences were observed; men generally had higher sleep quality and cognitive scores, while women reported longer sleep durations., Discussion: This study documented positive correlations between cognitive scores and sleep quality, and between cognitive z-scores and intermediate sleep duration. These findings are clinically important given the growing rates of dementia and aging populations globally.