Julio C. Reina

Living on the edge: dietary strategies of economically impoverished women in Cali, Colombia.

Economically impoverished women in Cali, Colombia, have restricted access to food in a city where food is abundant. Ethnographic observations, interviews and 2 day food records were used to better understand the coping strategies used by a group of these women (n = 85) to maintain adequate levels of energy intake. Anthropometric indicators of nutritional status were normal for the group. Interview data revealed that the ability to purchase food was a concern for 58% of the women. When faced with a restricted ability to purchase food, the women indicated they made compromises in meal composition, reduced portion sizes, and/or reduced the number of meals. They also relied on relatives, friends, neighbors, store credit, or local government programs for access to food. Changes in meal composition were identified in 17.1% of all diet records (n = 509). Low energy intake (defined as energy intake < or = 1.27 x BMR) was identified in 17.1% of all diet records. Carbohydrate consumption was significantly greater on low-energy intake days. The adequate nutritional status of this group of women suggests that their coping strategies are usually adequate to maintain energy intake, but the presence of uncertainty, the frequency of compromises in diet composition, and the frequency of low-energy intake days suggest that these women are at risk for undernutrition.

Exploring the multidimensionality of stature variation in the past through comparisons of archaeological and living populations

Adult stature variation is commonly attributed to differential stress-levels during development. However, due to selective mortality and heterogeneous frailty, a populations tall stature may be more indicative of high selective pressures than of positive life conditions. This article examines stature in a biocultural context and draws parallels between bioarchaeological and living populations to explore the multidimensionality of stature variation in the past. This study investigates: 1) stature differences between archaeological populations exposed to low or high stress (inferred from skeletal indicators); 2) similarities in growth retardation patterns between archaeological and living groups; and 3) the apportionment of variance in growth outcomes at the regional level in archaeological and living populations. Anatomical stature estimates were examined in relation to skeletal stress indicators (cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasia) in two medieval bioarchaeological populations. Stature and biocultural information were gathered for comparative living samples from South America. Results indicate 1) significant (P < 0.01) differences in stature between groups exposed to different levels of skeletal stress; 2) greater prevalence of stunting among living groups, with similar patterns in socially stratified archaeological and modern groups; and 3) a degree of regional variance in growth outcomes consistent with that observed for highly selected traits. The relationship between early stress and growth is confounded by several factors-including catch-up growth, cultural buffering, and social inequality. The interpretations of early life conditions based on the relationship between stress and stature should be advanced with caution.

Gastrointestinal parasitic infection, anthropometrics, nutritional status, and physical work capacity in Colombian boys.

This article tests the hypothesis that the presence of gastrointestinal parasites in Colombian boys is negatively associated with anthropometric characteristics, physical work capacity, blood hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and nutritional status. Anthropometric, Hb, V̇O2 max, and parasite load data were collected on 1,016 boys in Cali, Colombia. The boys were classified as lower socioeconomic class (SEC) from either urban or rural environments, and upper SEC from an urban environment. Sixty‐three percent of the boys were infected with gastrointestinal parasites and, of the infected boys, 80–95% had light parasite loads. Parasites found included Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichuris trichiura, Giardia spp., and Enterobius vermicularis. Infected boys had significantly lower weight, stature, weight‐for‐height (among 6–9‐year‐old boys), Hb levels, and V̇O2 max (ANCOVA, controlling for age and SEC). In terms of nutritional status, infected boys were 1.47 times more likely to be classified as iron deficient than noninfected boys (chi‐square, P < 0.001), and 1.61 times more likely to be classified as stunted (P < 0.001). Infection was not associated with wasting in any SEC group. In conclusion, light to moderate gastrointestinal parasite loads were associated with significantly lower weight, stature, weight‐for‐height (in 6–9‐year‐old boys), Hb levels, and V̇O2 max, and a significantly higher frequency of IDA and stunting. These data suggest that comprehensive analyses of the nutritional status of populations in regions endemic for parasitic infection should include testing for the presence of infection. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 11:763–771, 1999.

Human papillomavirus genotype detection in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) in Colombia.

Knowledge on human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype distribution in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is essential to assess the impact of HPV vaccine. It is provided information for Colombia.

Anthropometry and secular changes in stature of urban Colombian women of differing socioeconomic status

Anthropometric dimensions were taken on 1,572 women, 18–44 years of age, from Cali, Colombia, from three different socioeconomic (SEC) groups: low (LEC), mid‐low (MLEC), and upper (UEC). LEC and MLEC women were significantly shorter and had higher body mass indices (BMIs) than UEC women, and a significantly larger number had BMIs over 27.3 kg/m2. There were no significant differences between SEC groups for skinfolds on the arm, but skinfolds on the trunk, the subscapular–triceps ratio, and the waist–hip ratio followed an inverse SEC gradient, indicating a greater tendency for upper body fat distribution in the lower SEC groups. SEC differences in body fatness and fat distribution diminished with age, suggesting that health risks associated with obesity and an upper body fat distribution may be similar in all three groups by ages 40–44 years. Secular changes in stature were similar, 0.12 cm/year for LEC/MLEC women and 0.15 cm/year for UEC women, and there was no indication that the statural differences between the groups is diminishing. The results indicate that women from Cali exhibit anthropometric characteristics seen in both developing countries (stature positively associated with SEC) and developed countries (fatness and centralized fat distribution inversely related to SEC). These findings may reflect the relative economic prosperity of Colombia as a “developing country”.

Household headship and nutritional status: Female‐headed versus male/dual‐headed households

Approximately one‐third of all poor urban households in Latin America are headed by females. This study compares the nutritional status of women and children from female‐headed (FHH) and male/dual headed (MHH/DHH) households in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Cali, Colombia. Data collected included socioeconomic indicators, anthropometric dimensions, dietary intake, and interviews documenting household composition. Classification of household headship was based on the acknowledged head and the primary economic provider of the household. Of the households in this study, 81 (80%) were from MHH/DHHs and 20 (20%) from FHHs. FHHs had fewer material possessions and lived in houses made of less expensive materials compared to MHH/DHHs. However, there were no significant differences in the nutritional status of women or children in FHHs vs MHH/DHHs. Most women had BMIs within the normal range (19–29 kg/m2). The majority of children (95%) had weight‐for‐height z‐scores within ±2 of the NCHS references. These results suggest that while FHHs in Cali were economically poorer, the women studied appeared to have had access to sufficient food sources for themselves and their children. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 10:699–709, 1998.

Socioeconomic status, stature, and obesity in women: 20-year trends in urban Colombia.

Ongoing social and economic changes in developing countries are associated with increases in body size, and most notably increases in the prevalence of obesity. The social patterning of these changes in terms of socioeconomic status (SES) is not well documented. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in stature, body mass index (BMI) and fatness in adult women in urban Cali, Colombia between 1988–1989 and 2007–2008.

Maximum oxygen consumption in marginally malnourished Colombian boys and girls 6–16 years of age

Treadmill measurements of maximum oxygen intake were made in 218 boys and 136 girls 6–16 years of age who were classified as nutritionally normal or marginally malnourished. max (1· min−1)increased with age, was lower in the undernourished than in the normal, and was significantly lower in girls than in boys. The sex differences persisted when max was expressed in terms of body weight and lean body mass, indicating that differences in physical activity between sexes may be the cause. The lower values of absolute max have implications for the productive ability of these children in heavy physical work when they are adults. When expressed in terms of body weight there are no major differences between Colombian and European children in the magnitude of their max values.

ESTIMATING ENERGY INTAKE OF URBAN WOMEN IN COLOMBIA : COMPARISON OF DIET RECORDS AND RECALLS

As part of a larger study of energy-nutrition, we compared the performance of 24 h diet recalls with estimated diet records kept by trained observers. The subjects were economically disadvantaged women (n = 85) in the city of Cali, Colombia. A 24 h recall and an estimated diet record were collected for each woman at 0 and approximately 3 and 6 months. Energy intake obtained from the estimated dietary records was validated against energy expenditure and used as the reference method. Energy and macronutrient intake were calculated from published food composition tables and proximate analyses of common foods. The number of food items consumed per woman per day, total and in each of 16 food groups, was tabulated. Energy and macronutrient intakes were 11-13% lower in the 24 h recalls. The discrepancy energy could be largely accounted for by the lower number of food items in the recalls. The number of food items in eight of 16 food groups was significantly lower in the recalls compared to the records. Underreporting on the recalls was a general tendency in these subjects and not clearly related to average energy intake. We conclude that 24 h diet recalls underestimate energy and nutrient intake in this population and are not suitable for studies of human energetics.

Stable isotopes (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur), diet, and anthropometry in urban Colombian women: Investigating socioeconomic differences

We conducted stable isotope and dietary analyses of women from higher and lower socioeconomic status (SES) groups in Cali, Colombia. The objectives were to test between‐group differences in stable isotope, dietary, and anthropometric characteristics, and to evaluate relationships between diet and stable isotope values.