Jeffrey Snodgra
Biographic Data
| ID | 119519 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jeffrey Snodgra |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jeffrey |
| FAMILY NAME | Snodgra |
| SIGNATURE | SNODGRA J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Oregon |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7021-777X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 80 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 351 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 80 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 8 |
Study Protocol
This protocol paper describes the methods of a multi‐year study examining individual, community, and structural‐level influences on health among people experiencing homelessness in a mid‐sized Oregon city. We draw on biocultural theory and method to examine three distinct social ecologies of homelessness in the study setting: unsheltered homelessness, temporarily sheltered homelessness, and permanent supportive or transitional housing. Our mixed‐…
Market Integration and Reproductive Transitions Among Indigenous Shuar and Neighboring Nonindigenous Ecuadorians in Amazonian Ecuador
OBJECTIVE: Global reproductive transitions are well documented, yet less is known about how neighboring populations with divergent histories and exposure to market integration (MI) experience them. This study examines how sociocultural and economic proxies of MI predict variation in reproductive outcomes among indigenous Shuar and nonindigenous Ecuadorian mestizos (Colonos) from Amazonian Ecuador, focusing on menarcheal age, age at first birth, p…
Navigating Practical, Political, and Ethical Challenges of Long‐Term Human Biology Field Research
Major advances in understanding human biology and health have been made possible by long‐term field research projects with Indigenous peoples, whose ecological settings and lifeways are distinct from majority populations in high‐income settings. Long‐term fieldwork is central to human biology, yet much about this research approach remains opaque. This paper considers a single long‐term study—the Shuar Health and Life History Project in Amazonian …
Impaired Intestinal Function Among Indigenous Shuar Children of Amazonian Ecuador
Intestinal function appears to be considerably impaired among school-age Shuar children living in a low-resource, rural setting. Children living in unsanitary, non-industrialized contexts may routinely experience intestinal permeability-related immune activation and malabsorption-related energy/nutrient loss. More research is needed to explore the breadth of global variation in children's intestinal function and to investigate its many evolutiona…
Oxidative Stress and Its Relationship With Market Integration and Pathogen Exposure Among Indigenous Shuar Children of Amazonian Ecuador
These findings suggest that MI, including its impact on pathogen exposure and physiology, is an important driver of global variation in childhood OS and related disparities in phenotype and health
Soil‐Transmitted Helminths and the Intricacies of Immunoregulation
OBJECTIVES: The old friends hypothesis (OFH) examines connections between the global increase in immunoregulatory diseases (e.g., allergy and autoimmunity) and reduced exposure to immune-priming symbionts like soil-transmitted helminths. Helminth species, however, vary in their effects on hosts and should be considered separately. We examined relationships between species-specific helminth infection and circulating biomarkers of adaptive immune a…
Somatic Symptoms Are Associated With Elevated Blood Pressure and Epstein–Barr Virus Antibodies Among Shuar of the Ecuadorian Amazon
INTRODUCTION: This study tests the hypothesis that self-reported somatic symptoms are associated with biomarkers of stress, including elevated blood pressure and suppressed immune function, among Shuar adults living in the Ecuadorian Amazon. METHODS: Research was conducted in three Shuar communities in the Upano Valley of the Ecuadorian Amazon and included the collection of biomarkers and a structured morbidity interview. Participants self-report…
Bioethics Recommendations to Increase Culturally Informed Global Health Survey Research
Global health projects—a source of inspiration and collaboration for applied human biology—benefit scholars, governments, NGOs, and aid organizations. While such research is intended to improve population health, direct benefits to individuals and communities are often excluded from published works and/or not considered in study designs and framing. This exclusion is increasingly recognized as a colonial legacy that hinders global health equity, …
Testosterone, 8‐Oxo‐2′‐Deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) and Cu/Zn Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in Adult Shuar Males of Amazonian Ecuador
Objectives Reproductive effort incurs the cost of biological aging and morbidity by compromising somatic maintenance when key resources are limited. Oxidative stress is positively correlated with reproductive effort in adult human females and non‐human male animal models, but human males are understudied. We hypothesized that due to its anabolic and metabolic promotion of reproductive effort in human males, testosterone would be positively associ…
Circulating Epstein–Barr Virus Antibody Levels as a Biomarker of Socioecological Adversity in Amazonian Ecuador
OBJECTIVES: Circulating Epstein-Barr virus antibodies (EBV-Ab) are used as a biomarker of chronic stress in high-income settings, but their relevance in environments with a high burden of infectious disease, nutritional constraints, and limited resources is less clear. We investigated EBV-Ab as a biomarker of adversity in a setting where local ecology and economy may affect immune development differently than in wealthy countries. METHODS: We mea…
Salivary Testosterone, Age, and Adiposity Associations Among Shuar Males in Amazonian Ecuador Challenge Assumptions of “Normal” Testosterone Patterns
Objectives Adult male testosterone concentrations in high income countries often decrease with age and adiposity, a pattern typically viewed as “normal.” However, testosterone is expected to be adaptively regulated within the range of resource constrained, high pathogen, natural fertility conditions across which it evolved to function. We therefore examine associations among testosterone diurnal variation, age, and adiposity among Indigenous Shua…
Variation in diurnal cortisol patterns among the Indigenous Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador
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
Low prevalence of anemia among Shuar communities of Amazonian Ecuador
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 …
Transient refugees' social support, mental health, and physiological markers
OBJECTIVES: Refugees seeking safety across international borders are often exposed to a wide breadth of psychosocially stressful experiences that may fracture existing sources of social support and impair the generation of new social relationships, with implications for their long-term health and resilience. Using data from recently settled refugees in two asylum centers in Serbia, we examined the associations between social support, mental healt…
The utility of dried blood spot measurement of bone turnover markers in biological anthropology
Current and future applications of biomarkers in samples collected through minimally invasive methods for cancer medicine and population‐based research
Despite advances in cancer medicine and research, invasive and potentially risky procedures such as biopsies, venous blood tests, imaging, colonoscopy, and pap smear tests are still primarily used for screening, staging, and assessing response to therapy. The development and interdisciplinary use of biomarkers from urine, feces, saliva, scent, and capillary blood collected with minimally invasive methods represents a potential opportunity for int…
Minimally invasive biomarkers in human population biology research, part 2
Over the past several decades, biomarkers have become indispensable tools in human biology, allowing researchers to investigate biocultural and evolutionary questions and to generate basic data on health and well‐being. Human biologists are central players in biomarker methods development, pioneering the creation of “field friendly,” minimally invasively collected biomarker approaches, as well as leading the innovative use of biomarkers, most not…
Age‐related patterns of cytomegalovirus antibodies accompanying Epstein‐Barr virus co‐infection
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 parti…
Bringing the lab bench to the field
Point‐of‐care testing (POCT) allows researchers and health‐care providers to bring the lab bench to the field, providing essential health information that can be leveraged to improve health care, accessibility, and understanding across clinical and research settings. Gaps in health service access are most pronounced in what we term RIR settings—rural/remote regions, involving Indigenous peoples, and/or within resource‐limited settings. In these c…
After Theranos
OBJECTIVES: The rise and fall of the health technology startup Theranos is emblematic of the promise and peril of point-of-care testing (POCT). Instruments that deliver immediate results from minimally invasive samples at the location of collection can provide powerful tools to deliver health data in clinical and public health contexts. Yet, POCT availability is driven largely by market interests, which limits the development of inexpensive tests…
Lassitude
Inflammation and central adiposity as mediators of depression and uncontrolled diabetes in the study on global AGEing and adult health (Sage)
OBJECTIVES: Diabetes and depression are commonly present in the same individuals, suggesting the possibility of underlying shared physiological processes. Inflammation, as assessed with the biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP), has not consistently explained the observed relationship between diabetes and depression, although both are associated with inflammation and share proposed inflammatory mechanisms. Central adiposity has also been associated …
Validation of an enzyme‐linked immunoassay assay for osteocalcin, a marker of bone formation, in dried blood spots
OBJECTIVES: Investigating factors that contribute to bone loss and accretion across populations in remote settings is challenging, particularly where diagnostic tools are scarce. To mitigate this challenge, we describe validation of a commercial ELISA assay to measure osteocalcin, a biomarker of bone formation, from dried blood spots (DBS). METHODS: We validated the Osteocalcin Human SimpleStep ELISA kit from Abcam (ab1951214) using 158 matched p…
Variability of C‐reactive protein in first‐generation Ecuadorian immigrants living in the United States
The variability of CRP levels in individuals with relatively high childhood pathogen exposure is comparable to previously reported studies in North America and Europe. However, CRP values are relatively low. CRP is an appropriate measure of subacute inflammation in this sample
Disparities in bone density across contemporary Amazonian forager‐horticulturalists
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 cal…
What a drop can do
Logistical constraints associated with the collection and analysis of biological samples in community-based settings have been a significant impediment to integrative, multilevel biodemographic and biobehavioral research. However, recent methodological developments have overcome many of these constraints and have also expanded the options for incorporating biomarkers into population-based health research in international as well as domestic conte…
Origins and Evolution of GenusHomo
Recent fossil and archaeological finds have complicated our interpretation of the origin and early evolution of genus Homo. Using an integrated data set from the fossil record and contemporary human and nonhuman primate biology, we provide a fresh perspective on three important shifts in human evolutionary history: (1) the emergence of Homo, (2) the transition between non-erectus early Homo and Homo erectus, and (3) the appearance of regional var…
Metabolic Adaptation in Indigenous Siberian Populations
Previous research has suggested that arctic populations have elevated metabolic rates in response to their cold, marginal climate. Recent studies of indigenous Siberian groups have confirmed these earlier findings and have shed light on the mechanisms through which northern populations adapt to their environments. Indigenous Siberians show significant elevations in basal metabolic rate compared with reference values. Total energy expenditure is v…
Implications of market integration for cardiovascular and metabolic health among an indigenous Amazonian Ecuadorian population
This study provides evidence that MI among Shuar is not a uniformly negative process but instead produces complex cardiovascular and metabolic health outcomes
Lifestyle incongruity, stress and immune function in indigenous Siberians
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of economic and cultural change on immune function and psychosocial stress in an indigenous Siberian population. We examined Epstein‐Barr virus antibodies (EBV), an indirect biomarker of cell‐mediated immune function, in venous whole blood samples collected from 143 Yakut (Sakha) herders (45 men and 98 women) in six communities using a cross‐sectional study design. We modeled economic change…
The influence of basal metabolic rate on blood pressure among indigenous Siberians
Hypertension is an important global health issue and is currently increasing at a rapid pace in most industrializing nations. Although a number of risk factors have been linked with the development of hypertension, including obesity, high dietary sodium, and chronic psychosocial stress, these factors cannot fully explain the variation in blood pressure and hypertension rates that occurs within and between populations. The present study uses data …
The Emergence of Obesity among Indigenous Siberians
Once considered a disease of affluence and confined to industrialized nations, obesity is currently emerging as a major health concern in nearly every country in the world. Available data suggest that the prevalence rate of obesity has reached unprecedented levels in most developing countries, and is increasing at a rate that far outpaces that of developed nations. This increase in obesity has also been documented among North American circumpolar…
Validation of an Optimized Elisa for Quantitative Assessment of Epstein-Barr Virus Antibodies from Dried Blood Spots
Our objective was to validate a commercially available ELISA to measure antibody titers against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in dried blood spots (DBS) to replace a previously validated assay for DBS that is no longer available. We evaluated the precision, reliability, and stability of the assay for the measurement of EBV antibodies in matched plasma, fingerprick DBS, and venous blood DBS samples from 208 individuals. Effects of hematocrit and DBS sa…
Disparities in bone density across contemporary Amazonian forager‐horticulturalists
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 cal…
Perceived Income Adequacy and Well-being Among Older Adults in Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries
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
Soil‐transmitted helminth infection and intestinal inflammation among the Shuar of Amazonian Ecuador
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, …
Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay-Based Quantitative Measurement of Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in Dried Blood Spots, a Biomarker of Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of mortality in both higher and lower income countries. Here, we adapted an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) development kit for quantitative determination of ApoB levels in serum and plasma for use with dried blood spots (DBS). After confirming the dilution linearity of the assay for DBS, we measured ApoB in 208 venous DBS samples. T…
Development and validation of an Elisa for a biomarker of thyroid dysfunction, thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (TPO-Ab), in dried blood spots
Background The prevalence of allergic and autoimmune conditions has been steadily increasing in wealthy nations over the past century. One hypothesis put forward to explain this is the Old Friends Hypothesis, which posits that increased hygiene, urbanization, and lifestyle changes have reduced our exposure to parasites and microbes that we co-evolved with, resulting in immune dysregulation. However, research in traditionally living populations, w…
Diurnal cortisol rhythms among Latino immigrants in Oregon, USA
One of the most commonly used stress biomarkers is cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone released by the adrenal glands that is central to the physiological stress response. Free cortisol can be measured in saliva and has been the biomarker of choice in stress studies measuring the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Chronic psychosocial stress can lead to dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and results in …
Anthropometric Correlates of C-Reactive Protein among Indigenous Siberians
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker, which at low-level elevations is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although CRP has been extensively investigated in North American and European settings, few studies have measured CRP among non-Western groups. The present study used dried whole blood spot samples to examine high-sensitivity CRP concentrations among the Yakut (Sakha) of Siberia (85 females, 56 males; 18-58 years old…
The Future Is Not Ours To See
Bhats are low-status bards from the Indian state of Rajasthan. This paper explores a Bhat puppet drama sponsored by a state-run bank meant to teach Indians an ethic of saving and planning for the future. Specifically, it examines the manner in which Bhats sabotage their work for the bank, mocking the values they are hired to promote and thus 'resisting' modernist ideologies that purportedly allow for the rational management of time. Still, Bhat d…
Coalescent simulations of Yakut mtDNA variation suggest small founding population
The Yakuts are a Turkic‐speaking population from northeastern Siberia who are believed to have originated from ancient Turkic populations in South Siberia, based on archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence. In order to better understand Yakut origins, we modeled 25 demographic scenarios and tested by coalescent simulation whether any are consistent with the patterns of mtDNA diversity observed in present‐day Yakuts. The models consist of eithe…
The application of knemometry to measure childhood short‐term growth among the indigenous Shuar of Ecuador
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 …
Metabolic correlates of hominid brain evolution
The Future Is Not Ours To See
Bhats are low-status bards from the Indian state of Rajasthan. This paper explores a Bhat puppet drama sponsored by a state-run bank meant to teach Indians an ethic of saving and planning for the future. Specifically, it examines the manner in which Bhats sabotage their work for the bank, mocking the values they are hired to promote and thus 'resisting' modernist ideologies that purportedly allow for the rational management of time. Still, Bhat d…
Basal metabolic rate in the Yakut (Sakha) of Siberia
Human indigenous circumpolar populations have elevated basal metabolic rates (BMRs) relative to predicted values; this metabolic elevation has been postulated to be a physiological adaptation to chronic and severe cold stress. The present study examines BMR in the Yakut, an indigenous high-latitude population from the Sakha Republic of Russia to determine (1) whether the Yakut show evidence of an elevated BMR, (2) if the Yakut display evidence of…
Health consequences of postsocialist transition
The rapid social and cultural changes introduced by the collapse of the Soviet Union have resulted in important differences in cardiovascular health for indigenous Siberians. This study investigated diet and lifestyle determinants of plasma lipids in the Yakut, an indigenous Siberian herding population. The study used a cross-sectional design with data on 201 subjects in three urbanized towns and three rural communities in northeastern Siberia. D…
Metabolic Adaptation in Indigenous Siberian Populations
Previous research has suggested that arctic populations have elevated metabolic rates in response to their cold, marginal climate. Recent studies of indigenous Siberian groups have confirmed these earlier findings and have shed light on the mechanisms through which northern populations adapt to their environments. Indigenous Siberians show significant elevations in basal metabolic rate compared with reference values. Total energy expenditure is v…
Energetic Models of Human Nutritional Evolution
Over the past decade, biological anthropologists have increasingly begun to rely on energetic models for understanding patterns and trends in hominin evolution (e.g., Leonard and Robertson, 1994, 1997a; Aiello and Wheeler, 1995; Leonard, 2002). The study of energetics is important to evolutionary research for several reasons. First, food energy represents a critical interface between organisms and their environment. The search for food energy, it…
The Emergence of Obesity among Indigenous Siberians
Once considered a disease of affluence and confined to industrialized nations, obesity is currently emerging as a major health concern in nearly every country in the world. Available data suggest that the prevalence rate of obesity has reached unprecedented levels in most developing countries, and is increasing at a rate that far outpaces that of developed nations. This increase in obesity has also been documented among North American circumpolar…
Adaptive dimensions of health research among indigenous Siberians
Present evidence suggests that modern humans were the first hominid species to successfully colonize high‐latitude environments (≥55°N). Given evidence for a recent (
Anthropometric Correlates of C-Reactive Protein among Indigenous Siberians
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker, which at low-level elevations is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although CRP has been extensively investigated in North American and European settings, few studies have measured CRP among non-Western groups. The present study used dried whole blood spot samples to examine high-sensitivity CRP concentrations among the Yakut (Sakha) of Siberia (85 females, 56 males; 18-58 years old…
What a drop can do
Logistical constraints associated with the collection and analysis of biological samples in community-based settings have been a significant impediment to integrative, multilevel biodemographic and biobehavioral research. However, recent methodological developments have overcome many of these constraints and have also expanded the options for incorporating biomarkers into population-based health research in international as well as domestic conte…
The influence of basal metabolic rate on blood pressure among indigenous Siberians
Hypertension is an important global health issue and is currently increasing at a rapid pace in most industrializing nations. Although a number of risk factors have been linked with the development of hypertension, including obesity, high dietary sodium, and chronic psychosocial stress, these factors cannot fully explain the variation in blood pressure and hypertension rates that occurs within and between populations. The present study uses data …
The Energetics of Encephalization in Early Hominids
Lifestyle incongruity, stress and immune function in indigenous Siberians
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of economic and cultural change on immune function and psychosocial stress in an indigenous Siberian population. We examined Epstein‐Barr virus antibodies (EBV), an indirect biomarker of cell‐mediated immune function, in venous whole blood samples collected from 143 Yakut (Sakha) herders (45 men and 98 women) in six communities using a cross‐sectional study design. We modeled economic change…
Coalescent simulations of Yakut mtDNA variation suggest small founding population
The Yakuts are a Turkic‐speaking population from northeastern Siberia who are believed to have originated from ancient Turkic populations in South Siberia, based on archaeological and ethnohistorical evidence. In order to better understand Yakut origins, we modeled 25 demographic scenarios and tested by coalescent simulation whether any are consistent with the patterns of mtDNA diversity observed in present‐day Yakuts. The models consist of eithe…
Discrimination-Related Stress, Blood Pressure and Epstein-Barr Virus Antibodies Among Latin American Immigrants in Oregon, Us
Perceived discrimination has been linked to poor health outcomes among ethnic and racial minorities in the United States, though the relationship of discrimination-related stress to immigrant health is not well understood. This article reports findings from a preliminary study that examined blood pressure and Epstein-Barr virus antibody levels in relation to self-reported indicators of stress, acculturation and social support among 79 adult immig…
Discrimination, psychosocial stress, and health among Latin American immigrants in Oregon
Chronic psychosocial stress related to discrimination has been shown to be associated with biological measures such as elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), increased body fat, and higher fasting glucose levels. Few studies have examined these relationships in immigrant populations. The present study recruited a sample of 132 Oregon Latino immigrant adults to investigate the relationships between perceived discrimination and several health meas…
Life history, immune function, and intestinal helminths
Objectives. Infection with helminths is associated with shifts in host immunity, including increased production of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and reduced inflammation. Given limited energy budgets, these shifts may involve changes in energy allocation toward competing demands. Here we test for potential trade‐offs between growth, IgE, and the inflammatory marker C‐reactive protein (CRP). Methods. Dried blood spots and anthropometrics were collected f…
Physical activity in an indigenous Ecuadorian forager‐horticulturalist population as measured using accelerometry
OBJECTIVE: Minimal information on physical activity is available for non-Western populations undergoing the transition to a market economy. This is unfortunate given the importance of these data for understanding health issues such as the global obesity epidemic. We consider the utility of using accelerometry technology to examine activity patterns and energy use regulation among indigenous Shuar, an Ecuadorian forager-horticulturalist population…
Circumpolar adaptation, social change, and the development of autoimmune thyroid disorders among the Yakut (Sakha) of Siberia
OBJECTIVES: Alterations in thyroid function appear to play a central role in adaptation to Arctic environments. Increased thyroid activity in indigenous circumpolar populations is associated with upregulated metabolism, including elevated basal metabolic rate (BMR); however, little is known about the possible health consequences of these climate-induced changes on thyroid function. The focus of the present study is to determine the prevalence of …
Human Energetics
This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Anthropology and Energetics Basic Principles of Energetics Energy Expenditure Measurement of Energy Parameters Energetics and Human Evolutionary History Energetics and Adaptation among Contemporary Human Populations Energetics and Health Chapter Summary Acknowledgments References Cited Recommended Readings
Data Resource Profile
Population ageing is rapidly becoming a global issue and will have a major impact on health policies and programmes. The World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) aims to address the gap in reliable data and scientific knowledge on ageing and health in low- and middle-income countries. SAGE is a longitudinal study with nationally representative samples of persons aged 50+ years in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russ…
Reproductive effects on skeletal health in Shuar women of Amazonian Ecuador
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 cur…
Muscle Mass Scaling in Primates
Body composition is known to vary dramatically among mammals, even in closely related species, yet this issue has never been systematically investigated. Here, we examine differences in muscle mass scaling among mammals, and explore how primate body composition compares to that of nonprimate mammals. We use a literature‐based sample of eutherian and metatherian mammals, and combine this with new dissection‐based data on muscularity in a variety o…
Analysis of variability of high sensitivity C‐reactive protein in lowland ecuador reveals no evidence of chronic low‐grade inflammation
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
Diurnal cortisol rhythms among Latino immigrants in Oregon, USA
One of the most commonly used stress biomarkers is cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone released by the adrenal glands that is central to the physiological stress response. Free cortisol can be measured in saliva and has been the biomarker of choice in stress studies measuring the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Chronic psychosocial stress can lead to dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function and results in …
Medicine (56 works) · Biology (38 works) · Demography (31 works) · Internal Medicine (30 works) · Population (26 works) · Environmental health (24 works) · Ecology (20 works) · Indigenous (19 works) · Geography (17 works) · Endocrinology (16 works)