José Ernesto dos Santos

Measuring Cultural Consonance: Examples with Special Reference to Measurement Theory in Anthropology

A valid and reliable anthropological measurement must be culturally appropriate for a particular social setting. Justifying the appropriateness of a measurement often depends on the skill of the researcher in describing the ethnographic setting. This has resulted in valuable research, but it is difficult to systematize and lacks transparency. Here the authors present a measurement model for anthropology that links structured ethnographic methods—cultural domain analysis and cultural consensus analysis—to the assessment of individual behavior and personal beliefs. These procedures are illustrated with the concept of cultural consonance, or the degree to which an individual approximates in his or her own behavior or belief the shared cultural model in some domain. The concrete steps taken to develop measures of cultural consonance in four domains (lifestyle, social support, family life, and national characteristics) are described, and the reliability and validity of these measures are evaluated. This describes a measurement model for anthropology.

The cultural construction of social support in Brazil: associations with health outcomes.

The association of social support and healthoutcomes has received considerable attention inrecent years, but the cultural dimension of socialsupport has not been extensively investigated. Inthis paper, using data collected in a Braziliancity, we present results indicating that thoseindividuals whose reported access to social supportmore closely approximates an ideal cultural model ofaccess to social support have lower blood pressureand report fewer depressive symptoms and lowerlevels of perceived stress. The cultural model ofsocial support is derived using a combination ofparticipant observation, semi-structured interviews,and the systematic ethnographic technique ofcultural consensus modelling. These results arethen used to develop a measure of an individual‘sapproximation to that model of social support in asurvey of four diverse neighborhoods in the city(n = 250). We call this approximation to the idealcultural model of social support ‘culturalconsonance’ in social support. The association ofhealth outcomes with cultural consonance in socialsupport is independent of individual differences inthe reporting of social support, and of standardcovariates. In the case of blood pressure andperceived stress, it is independent of diet, andother socioeconomic and psychosocial variables. Theassociation with depressive symptoms is notindependent of other psychosocial variables. Theimplications of these results are discussed withrespect to research on cultural dimensions of thedistribution of disease.

Percepção de tamanho e forma corporal de mulheres: estudo exploratório

The objective of the present study was to investigate womens size and shape body perception using the Nine-figure Outline Scale. A total of 150 women were divided into five groups according to body mass index (BMI): non-obese, overweight and grade I, II and III obese women. The options were classified in representations of normal, real and ideal body size and shape. It was evident that the men and womens choice for normal sizes, in the five groups, were predominantly connected to the representation of low body weight. In the self-assessment of the real body size and shape, it was noticed a broad distribution of choices, although with the exception of the pre-obesity group, the majority of women from the other groups made compatible choices with their BMI. The ideal body size and shape was associated with representative figures of low body weight. The data indicate the relevance of the differences between the adequacy of real and ideal perception, pointing at the difficulties related to body self-perception.

Efeito da atividade física associada à orientacão alimentar em adolescentes obesos: comparacão entre o exercício aeróbio e anaeróbio

Being a public health problem in modern society, obesity during adolescence is an increasingly universal disease that is turning into an epidemic one. This study aimed to compare the effect of continuous aerobic and intermittent anaerobic physical exercise associated with nutritional orientation on weight reduction, body composition, biochemical measures and physical capacity of obese adolescents. 28 adolescents between 12 and 14 years old were studied, whose body mass index (BMI) is above percentile 95 for age and gender. The volunteers were randomly distributed into 2 groups: continuous walking exercise (GEC; n = 13) and running intermittent exercise (GEI; n = 15) and underwent a physical training program 3 times a week during 16 weeks, with duration from 20 to 40 minutes. Nutritional orientation occurred once a week, in 60-minute group sessions, throughout the entire experiment. In the initial and final periods, weight and height were measured so as to calculate the BMI, as well as subcutaneous fold, arm (AC) and arm muscle circumferences (AMC), body composition by means of electric bioimpedance, biochemical serum analyses (glycemia and lipids), and direct determination of maximum oxygen intake (VO 2 max) and anaerobic threshold (LAn). In both groups (GEC and GEI), anthropometric findings, BMI and subcutaneous folds, were significant decreased. In biochemical evaluation, a significant decrease occurred in GEC with respect to HDL, LDL and total cholesterol serum levels, although still within normal values. Values of HDL and triglycerides presented significant decrease in GEI. VO 2 max values increased significantly in both groups. We concluded that the physical activity proposed for both GEC and GEI was sufficient and satisfactory, promoting weight loss, better body composition and lipid levels, as well as an increase in the adolescents’ aerobic capacity.La obesidad en la adolescencia es una enfermedad universal de prevalencia mundial creciente, asumiendo un caracter epidemiologico como problema de salud publica en la sociedad moderna. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo comparar el efecto del ejercicio fisico aerobico continuo y anaerobico intermitente asociado a la orientacion alimentar respecto a la composicion corporal, a las medidas bioquimicas y a la capacidad fisica de adolescentes obesos. Se investigaron 28 adolescentes (promedio de edad = 13 anos), con indice de masa corporal (IMC) arriba del percentil 95 para la edad y el sexo, los cuales se distribuyeron en dos grupos en forma aleatoria: ejercicio de caminata continua (GEC; n = 13) y ejercicio de carrera intermitente (GEI; n = 15). Los grupos tambien se sometieron a un programa de entrenamiento fisico tres veces por semana durante 16 semanas por 20 a 40 minutos. La actividad de orientacion nutricional sucedio una vez por semana, en grupo, por 60 minutos, durante todo el experimento. Se realizaron, en el periodo inicial y final, mediciones de peso y altura, pliegas subcutaneas, circunferencias del brazo (CB) y muscular del brazo (CMB), composicion corporal por bioimpedancia electrica, analises bioquimicos sericos (glicemia y lipidios) y determinacion directa del consumo maximo de oxigeno (VO2max) y limite anaerobio (LAn). Como resultados antropometricos, observamos una reduccion del IMC y de las pliegas subcutaneas, con diferencia significativa en los dos grupos (GEC e GEI). En la evaluacion bioquimica, hubo una disminucion significativa de los niveles sericos de HDL e LDL, colesterol total y aumento de trigliceridos y glicemia en el GEC, aunque se hayan mantenido de acuerdo a los valores de normalidad. En el GEI, el HDL y trigliceridos sufrieron una reduccion significativa. El VO2max aumento estadisticamente en los dos grupos. Concluimos que la actividad fisica sugerida y la orientacion alimentar, tanto para el GEC como para GEI, fue suficiente y satisfactoria y produjo una disminucion ponderal, mejora de la composicion corporal, de los niveles lipidicos y aumento de la capacidad aerobia de los adolescentes.

Studying Diversity and Sharing in Culture: An Example of Lifestyle in Brazil

The structure and distribution of cultural models within social groups have been studied in a variety of domains, using a variety of methods. In this article we examine cultural models of lifestyle in Brazil; here, lifestyle is defined as the accumulation of consumer goods and the adoption of behaviors that help to define ones social identity. Three issues are examined: (1) the structure and distribution of models of culturally appropriate lifestyles; (2) the association of these cultural models with actual behaviors, along with those factors that promote or inhibit adhering to the cultural ideal; and (3) the utility of using the Romney-Weller-Batchelder cultural consensus model for studying lifestyles. Results indicate that cultural models of lifestyle are highly structured and widely shared across socio-economic groups. Furthermore, a variety of economic, social, and psychological variables influence the individuals approximation to the cultural ideal. These results indicate that the extent to which cultural meaning systems are shared must be determined empirically and that both group-level and individual-level variability must be taken into account. The methods used here may prove useful in the investigation of a variety of cultural domains.

Culture, skin color, and arterial blood pressure in Brazil.

Populations of African descent in North and South America have higher mean blood pressures and higher rates of hypertension than populations of European descent or populations in Africa. Within populations of African descent, darker skinned persons have higher blood pressures than lighter skinned persons. Whether examined within or between populations, there is an interaction between skin color and socioeconomic status (SES) in relation to blood pressure, with persons with dark skin color and low SES having the highest blood pressures. This interaction was examined in Brazil using a measure of a cultural dimension of SES called “cultural consonance in lifestyle.” This measure was derived using cultural consensus analysis linked with social survey data. It was found that darker skinned Brazilians with lower cultural consonance in lifestyle had adjusted systolic blood pressures 16.2 mm Hg higher than darker skinned Brazilians with higher cultural consonance (P < .01); the corresponding difference in adjusted diastolic blood pressure was 9.7 mm Hg (P < .04). The differences for lighter skinned Brazilians were 6.4 mm Hg (P < .02) and 1.0 mm Hg (not significant), respectively. These results could be due either to an interaction of genetic predisposition and SES, or the result of a socially and culturally‐mediated process. Given that cultural consonance in lifestyle measures the ability of the person to live up to cultural norms, and given the existence of racial stratification in Brazil, it is argued that a social and cultural mediation of the relationship is more plausible. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:49–59, 1999.

A imagem corporal de mulheres morbidamente obesas avaliada através do desenho da figura humana

The aim of this study was to assess self-image in 30 morbid obese women compared to 30 non obese women. Individual evaluation was carried out using the Draw a Person Test and a interview. Regarding general aspects of the drawing the groups differed significantly in quality of graphism, location in the page and theme indexes, indicating prevalence of feelings of enadequacy in the obese group. With regard to size of drawing, proportion, trunk representation and different body parts size indexes, the groups differed significantly, suggesting depreciation and distortion of body image in the obese group. It was observed that obese women had difficulty in expressing way their corporal existence, in a symbolic suggesting inferiority feelings, discontent and worry about body and beauty.

Prevalência de dispnéia e possíveis mecanismos fisiopatológicos envolvidos em indivíduos com obesidade graus 2 e 3

OBJECTIVE To investigate dyspnea in individuals with Class II or III obesity and look for correlations among the respiratory data related to such individuals. METHODS This study involved 49 subjects with a body mass index >35 kg/m(2), divided into two groups (those with dyspnea and those without). The baseline dyspnea index was evaluated, as were spirometry findings, maximal respiratory pressures and arterial blood gas analysis. RESULTS Of the 49 subjects evaluated, 37 reported dyspnea and 12 reported no dyspnea. The baseline dyspnea index differed between the two groups. The mean values were within the range of normality for all subjects and all parameters, except for the following: ratio of residual volume to total lung capacity; expiratory reserve volume; and the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. The subjects with dyspnea presented significantly lower values for expiratory reserve volume, maximal expiratory pressure and arterial pH. In all subjects, body mass index correlated significantly with the following: baseline dyspnea index; the residual volume/total lung capacity ratio; the forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio; forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity; arterial oxygen tension; the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient; and arterial carbon dioxide tension. The baseline dyspnea index was found to correlate significantly with the following parameters: residual volume/total lung capacity ratio; expiratory reserve volume; arterial oxygen tension; the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient; and arterial carbon dioxide tension. CONCLUSION Dyspnea is a common complaint in individuals with class II or III obesity. Such individuals present a pronounced reduction in expiratory reserve volume and an increase in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. The correlations found suggest that obese individuals present dysfunction of the lower airways, and that obesity itself plays a role in the genesis of dyspnea.

How culture shapes the body: Cultural consonance and body mass in urban brazil

The aim of this article is to develop a model of how culture shapes the body, based on two studies conducted in urban Brazil.

Social and dietary predictors of serum lipids: a Brazilian example.

The importance of an unfavorable profile of serum lipids in the atherosclerotic process has been unequivocally established, but the determinants of serum lipids remain a source of controversy. This controversy includes both the importance of diet as a precursor of an unfavorable lipid profile, and the potential importance of social and psychological factors in determining lipid values. These questions were addressed in a study of serum lipids in urban Brazil. It was found that both dietary and social-psychological factors were associated with total serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum triglycerides. This exploratory study highlights the importance of the careful measurement of dietary intake, and the inclusion of theoretically relevant social and psychological variables, in any study of serum lipids.