Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, 3260 South St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-6398, USA.
Econ Hum Biol. 2010 Mar;8(1):100-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ehb.2009.11.001. Epub 2009 Nov 14.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is growing at an accelerated pace in disadvantaged populations. Indigenous populations all over the world, whose lifestyle is changing rapidly and drastically, seem to be particularly prone to show an increased prevalence of overweight and its co-morbidities among adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between socioeconomic and nutritional statuses in adults of two indigenous populations of the Argentine Gran Chaco: the Toba and Wichí of the province of Formosa. Originally hunter-gatherers, they are now more settled and engage in temporary wage labor and local political positions. A total of 541 adults (>20 years old) participated in the study. Almost 50% of the adult Toba and 34% of the adult Wichí were overweight and 10% of adults in both populations were obese. Socioeconomic status was positively associated with body mass index in both populations. Furthermore, political connectedness with the non-indigenous sector, as in the case of community leaders, was highly correlated with obesity. Differences within and between groups can be explained by biocultural factors that include gender, diet (foraged vs store-bought), lifestyle (sedentary vs more active), and history of political power. Our study highlights the interactions among social, cultural, and political economic variables, such as political hierarchies within the group or degree of social connectedness with community leaders. By making these variables an integral part of our analysis and interpretation, we hope to improve our understanding of the situation of indigenous populations in transition.
超重和肥胖的患病率在弱势群体中呈加速增长。世界各地的土著人群，其生活方式正在迅速而剧烈地变化，似乎特别容易出现成年人超重及其合并症的患病率增加。本研究旨在评估阿根廷格兰查科两个土著人群（福莫萨省的托巴人和威奇人）成年人的社会经济和营养状况之间的关系。他们原本是狩猎采集者，现在更加定居，从事临时工资劳动和地方政治职位。共有 541 名成年人（>20 岁）参加了这项研究。几乎 50%的托巴成年人和 34%的威奇成年人体重超重，两个群体中都有 10%的成年人肥胖。社会经济地位与两个群体的体重指数呈正相关。此外，与非土著部门的政治联系，如社区领导人，与肥胖高度相关。群体内和群体间的差异可以用包括性别、饮食（采集的与购买的）、生活方式（久坐与更活跃）和政治权力历史在内的生物文化因素来解释。我们的研究强调了社会、文化和政治经济变量之间的相互作用，例如群体内部的政治等级制度或与社区领导人的社会联系程度。通过将这些变量作为我们分析和解释的一个组成部分，我们希望能够更好地理解转型中的土著人群的情况。
