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Resumo

The morphology and body composition of the Peruvian Cashinahua, a small unacculturated rain forest population numbering 206, has been analyzed. Measurements involve anthropometry, including skinfolds, and endosteal and periosteal breadths of the second metacarpals, taken from 135 handwrist radiographs. The analysis indicates that the Cashinahua are short and relatively heavy at all ages, and are morphologically similar to other comparable populations. The relatively high skinfolds suggest an adequate caloric intake and, when considered along with other studies, lead to the conclusion that these marginal, unacculturated farming groups are in a satisfactory state of nutritional adaptation. Increased contacts with outsiders may very well upset this balance, however.

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