While several experimental studies in animals and humans have suggested the protective effect of nightly fasting duration (NFD) against cardiometabolic risk factors, few population‐based studies have been conducted. This study aimed to investigate the association between NFD and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Japanese non‐shift workers.

Chronic malnutrition remains a persistent global health issue. This mixed methods investigation in rural Peru examines the role of home food production (HFP) in reducing child malnutrition by testing the following hypotheses: (a) higher HFP will be associated with higher infant z‐scores than those with less HFP and (b) infants with higher HFP will exhibit improved longitudinal growth outcomes across

To understand migration from an evolutionary perspective, this phenomenon has so far been mainly investigated in animal species. We therefore aim to investigate the potential evolutionary roots of attitudes toward migrants in humans.

OBJECTIVE Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has a multifactorial etiology involving a complex interplay between genes and the environment. The prevalence of T2DM among the countries of the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ranks among the top 15 in the world. A number of studies have shown an increase in T2DM risk for the "TT" genotype at the rs4506565 and rs12255372

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess time intervals between the age at menarche (AM) and age at sexual initiation (ASI) in Polish women born before and after the political transformation period in Poland. METHODS Participants were 518 women born between 1959 and 2001 in Poland. AM and ASI were based on self-report. Three birth cohorts were distinguished based on the year of birth: I (1959-1979)

OBJECTIVE Using Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health data set, this preregistered study set out to investigate the effect of parental care arrangements (eg, genetically related parents, adoptive, step/ foster, genetic nonparental relative, and no parental figure) on adult children's income and wealth in later life. METHODS Consistent with the preregistration plan

The COVID‐19 pandemic is transforming the lives of human populations around the world and stimulating a global research effort aimed at understanding and addressing this disease. Over the last few weeks, I have heard from many of our colleagues who are initiating research or commenting on the COVID‐19 pandemic. As human biologists, we are well positioned to address this biocultural health crisis, one

OBJECTIVES We study the influence of height on labour market outcomes using micro-data from a recent survey that cover 27 post-communist countries. Specifically, we focus on the influence of height on three dimensions of labour market outcome: (1) likelihood of employment, (2) occupational sorting, and (3) earnings. METHODS We use micro-data from 2016 Life-In-Transition survey (LITS) which was jointly

OBJECTIVES The effects of stress caused by natural disasters may be more pronounced in individuals with preexisting disadvantages. The degree of hardship and psychological distress associated with Hurricane Florence was assessed in 83 pregnant women. This research helps identify unmarried pregnant women as a group particularly at risk of distress following a natural disaster. METHODS We assessed hardship

OBJECTIVE To explore the mediating role of visceral adiposity, as assessed by the visceral adiposity index (VAI), in the relationship among schooling, physical inactivity, and unhealthy metabolic phenotype (UMP). METHODS A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with 854 adult individuals of both sexes from a Brazilian city. Data were collected through interviews, anthropometric evaluation

OBJECTIVE Hispanic populations typically show a high prevalence of dyslipidemias, especially of low high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) or HDL cholesterol. Highly admixed populations are ideal groups to clarify the role of genetic ancestry on HDL concentrations, isolating it from that of other factors. The objective of this study was to estimate the association between Native American genetic ancestry

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the socioeconomic status (SES) and age on the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 5 to 10-year-old children from Brazil. METHODS The sample consisted of 80 782 (41 063 boys) students aged 5 to 10-year-old. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. SES was self-reported by parents when registering

OBJECTIVES Essential fatty acids (EFA), including linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), are indispensable for proper brain growth especially in the first months after birth when it develops most rapidly. Since fats, especially EFA, in breast milk are highly variable between mothers, we indirectly examined whether milk energy, LA and ALA content in breast milk affect volume and shape of

OBJECTIVES The objective of the study was to determine whether exposure of pregnant women to stresses caused by World War II (WWII) negatively affected pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. METHODS Individual medical documents deposited in the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Clinic of Medical University, Poznań (1934-1943; N = 7058) were evaluated. These were divided into two birth cohorts: before WWII and

This study aimed to create a composite measure of a healthy lifestyle for adolescents, and analyze its relationship to sociodemographic factors.

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

Humans live in environments that reduce the impact of seasonal cues. However, studies suggest that many aspects of human biology, such as birth, metabolism, health, and death are still annually rhythmic.

Studies have demonstrated that rs373863828, a missense variant in CREBRF, is associated with a number of anthropometric traits including body mass index (BMI), obesity, percent body fat, hip circumference, and abdominal circumference. Given the biological relationship between height and adiposity, we hypothesized that the effect of this variant on BMI might be due in part to an association of this

Telomeres are the protective caps of chromosomes. They shorten with cell replication, age, and possibly environmental stimuli (eg, infection and stress). Short telomere length (TL) predicts subsequent worse health. Although venous whole blood (VWB) is most commonly used for TL measurement, other, more minimally invasive, sampling techniques are becoming increasingly common due to their field‐friendliness

Relatively little is known about sources of variation in human breastmilk composition. Previous research posits that composition may be affected by the low oxygen environment found at high altitude (HA). Our objective is to compare the milk composition of a sample of HA Andeans to previously published data on HA Tibetans and low altitude (LA) Peruvians.

We know little about human olfactory ability in natural settings because current knowledge derives from lab‐based studies using nonrepresentative samples of convenience. The primary objective was to use a validated lab tool, the five‐item odor identification test, to assess variation in olfactory ability in different environments.

Seasonality is an important factor in children's physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB); thus, the aim of this study was to explore the seasonal characteristics of Chinese preschool children's PA and SB.

OBJECTIVES This study's purpose was to compare physical growth (PG) patterns of children and adolescents living at high elevations with those of other geographic regions, relate body adiposity indicators, and develop percentile reference tables for assessing physical growth and body adiposity. METHODS The sample included 1536 children and adolescents ages 5.0 to 17.9 years from Puno (Peru) located

OBJECTIVES Exercise can lead to changes in immune function. To further investigate this relationship, we examined possible differences in salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) secretion rates among female college athletes and nonathlete students. We predicted that athletes would have higher sIgA secretion rates than nonathletes and show greater declines in sIgA during the study period as intensive

OBJECTIVES Lactational programming, through which milk-borne bioactives influence both neonatal and long-term biological development, is well established. However, almost no research has investigated how developmental stimuli during a mother's early life may influence her milk bioactives in adulthood. Here, we investigated the association between maternal birth weight and milk epidermal growth factor

OBJECTIVES This study aims to assess the secular trend in age at menarche (AAM) in Mexico over the 20th century, and compare the patterns according to area of residence (rural/urban), socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity (indigenous/nonindigenous). METHODS Data on AAM from 24 380 women aged ≥20 years born between 1906 and 1986 were obtained from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey

OBJECTIVE To compare the orofacial muscle strength and facial muscle thickness between resistance-trained and non-resistance trained men and women. METHODS Resistance-trained (25 men and 22 women) and non-resistance trained (21 men and 30 women) adults (18-40 years) had standard measurements of orofacial muscle strength (ie, anterior tongue elevation, cheek compression, and lip compression) and ultrasound

OBJECTIVES The environment is believed to be key in obesity prevention, yet it is unclear how factors in the neighborhood influence weight-related behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of parental perceived environment on physical activity (PA), television (TV) time, active play and Body Mass Index (BMI) z score, and the mediating role of these weight-related behaviors on

OBJECTIVES Due to increasing problems with obesity and vitamin D deficiency among children, studies that tackle both problems together are needed. METHODS Data were collected from 182 randomly selected children aged 6-13 years in primary schools in central Poland. Measures included anthropometric dimensions, body composition, questionnaires completed by participants' parents, and saliva samples. The

OBJECTIVES Our purpose was to explore the levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and the relationship between CRF, physical activity, and other physical traits in traditional and nontraditional Tarahumara, and Mestizo adolescents from Sierra Tarahumara, Mexico. METHODS A sample of 87 adolescents aged 16.9 ± 1.2 years (mean ± SD) performed the Margaria step test to quantify CRF. Physical activity

OBJECTIVES It is unknown why low body fat is rarely seen in large-sized athletes (>100 kg body mass). The aim of this review was to examine the relationship between body mass and body composition (fat mass and fat-free mass) in elite male athletes, and to discuss the possible reasons why low body fat is rarely seen in large-sized male athletes. METHODS A search using two electronic databases was conducted

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

OBJECTIVE To understand how body size preferences changed in Samoa between 1995 and 2017 to 2019. METHODS Data were from adults aged from 31 to 59 years, who participated in two separate cross-sectional studies of obesity and cardiometabolic risk conducted in Samoa in 1995 and 2017 to 2019. Participants nominated line drawings representing their current size, ideal size, the most attractive and healthiest

OBJECTIVES To analyze the relationship of birth weight, birth order, breastfeeding duration, and age of introduction of solid foods with height, fat mass, and fat-free mass in a sample of Maya children when aged 6 to 8 years old. METHODS We collected data on anthropometry, body composition, children's birth weight, birth order, early feeding practices, and household socioeconomic characteristics in

OBJECTIVES Obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. This study aims to investigate the accuracy of parental perception of child's weight and related factors as well as how underestimation is associated with the prevalence of childhood obesity. METHODS Data from 793 parents and respective children (6-10 years) were collected during the spring of 2013 and 2014. Height and weight were measured

OBJECTIVES Worldwide data on age at menarche suggest a gradually earlier maturation, which is stabilizing in some societies. The interplay between socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental factors generates uncertainty about the current status and future trend of age at menarche in most societies. Therefore, we aimed to describe trends in age at menarche during the 20th century in Portugal. METHODS

OBJECTIVES Previous research has revealed that increased obesity prevalence in the US has occurred in concert with an increase in those in overweight and obese BMI categories perceiving their weight as "about right" since the 1980s. Using biological normalcy as a framework, we assess whether individual weight perception is related to the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when controlling for body

OBJECTIVE To describe breastfeeding trends from 2002 to 2012/2013, and to investigate whether breastfeeding practices differ between mothers of children in public and private schools. METHODS Data were obtained from three school-based cross-sectional studies conducted with 7 to 10 years old children. The total sample was 7264 individuals. Data related to breastfeeding were analyzed descriptively and

OBJECTIVES This study investigates how factors related to collection, storage, transport time, and environmental conditions affect the quality and accuracy of analyses of dried blood spot (DBS) samples. METHODS Data come from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) DBS laboratory reports and the HRS merged with the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Global Historical Climate Network Daily (NCDC

To evaluate the effect of folate and vitamin B12 levels on pregnancy progression and outcomes.

Market integration seems to induce gender‐specific generational change in health‐related perceptions of body size. We predicted that among the Qom of Argentina, younger women would perceive comparatively thinner bodies as healthiest, demonstrating thin‐idealizing body norms, and older women would retain culturally rooted perceptions of heavier bodies as healthiest. As traditional and globalized body

To analyze the impact of participation in sports with different cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) demands on changes in metabolic and cardiovascular markers in adolescents. Longitudinal study with 12 months of follow‐up (Analysis of Behaviors of Children During Growth [ABCD Growth Study]). Overall, 184 adolescents (age 15.6 ± 2.1) were classified according to sports participation: non‐sport (control)

The aims of this study were to describe changes in height during childhood and to investigate potential changes in the proportion of children attaining final height in childhood and in correlations between child and adult height across birth cohorts.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the tracking of indicators of health‐related physical fitness between childhood and adulthood.

The aim of the study was to measure the causal effect of selected socio‐economic factors and anthropometrical characteristics on the menarche occurrence.

Plasticity in the growth of body segments between populations has been researched in relation to migration, temporal change and high‐altitude studies. We study the within population variation in body segments, thus controlling for some of the environmental and genetic differences that could be at play in between populations studies. We test a version of the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, where the growth

To investigate the association between internal migration and body mass index (BMI) in the adult population with data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA‐Brasil) and to determine whether the association differs by the urban hierarchical levels (or influence regions) of Brazilian municipalities.

Building a New Biocultural Synthesis: Political Economic Perspectives in Human Biology called for an integration of political economy with ecological and adaptability perspectives in biocultural anthropology. A major goal of this volume was to explore the utility of including political‐economic and sociocultural processes in analyses of human biological variation, nutrition, and health. A second goal

OBJECTIVES The study goals were to (a) characterize the cultural model of fatherhood among the BaYaka, a community of egalitarian foragers in the Republic of the Congo; (b) test if BaYaka fathers' quality in relation to the cultural model predicts their children's energetic status; and (c) compare the variance in BaYaka children's energetic status to that of children of neighboring Bondongo fisher-farmers

BACKGROUND Tattooing has been practiced globally for thousands of years. From an evolutionary perspective, this tradition seems counterintuitive because it is a dermal injury that risks infection. Previous research indicates tattooing may habituate the immune system for subsequent stress, as with exercise or vaccination, an important benefit in high-risk areas. Visible injuries through tattooing may

Public health and other researchers express growing concern for the role of maternal adiposity and gestational weight gain in driving the obesity epidemic and health disparities based on race and class. Biocultural scholars must continue to contribute to conversations on how best to address issues of population health including the developmental context of obesity, drawing from both evolutionary and

OBJECTIVES Objective of the study is to develop a more precise model of culture as an evolutionary niche for the human species. Culture is encoded in cultural models and can be decomposed into three basic components: shared knowledge and understanding, referred to as cultural competence; alternate configurations of shared understanding, referred to as residual agreement; and social practice, referred

OBJECTIVES Stigma-the process by which people become socially discredited because they hold a characteristic that is classified as unacceptable or undesirable-has barely been considered in biocultural analyses. Yet, it provides an acute point of articulation for evolutionary and political-economic perspectives on human variation, including the biocultural production of health disparities. To explain

OBJECTIVES Experiences of interpersonal discrimination are pervasive stressors in the lives of African Americans. Increased discrimination stress may cause premature aging. Telomere length (TL) is a plastic genetic trait that is an emerging indicator of cellular health and aging. Short TL is a risk factor for the earlier onset of disease. TL shortens with age, a process that may be accelerated by psychosocial

OBJECTIVES Intrauterine environmental conditions may affect the number of primordial follicles and in this way the timing of menopause. The aim of the present study was to investigate association patterns between right hand digit ratio, that is, 2D:4D - as an indicator of prenatal androgen and estrogen exposure, and age at menopause. METHODS One hundred sixty-nine women, who had experienced natural

OBJECTIVES We aimed to test whether birth season is associated with age at menarche in the sub-tropical climate of Central India where temperature and photoperiod differences between seasons are very small. METHODS Date of birth and age at menarche were collected for 330 female students of Central University, Sagar. The impact of birth month and birth season on age at menarche was analyzed using ANOVA

OBJECTIVES Tool use requires integration among sensorial, biomechanical, and cognitive factors. Taking into account the importance of tool use in human evolution, changes associated with the genus Homo are to be expected in all these three aspects. Haptics is based on both tactile and proprioceptive feedbacks, and it is associated with emotional reactions. Previous analyses have suggested a difference