The effects of lifestyle change on indicators of cardiometabolic health in semi-nomadic pastoralists

Swanson, Zane S; Bethancourt, Hilary; Nzunza, Rosemary; Ndiema, Emmanuel; Braun, David R; Rosinger, Asher Y; Pontzer, Herman

doi:10.1093/emph/eoad030

Cited by 4 publications

References 47 publications

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Physical Activity and Pregnancy Norms Among Daasanach Semi‐Nomadic Pastoralist Women in Northern Kenya

Sadhir,

McGrosky,

Ford

et al. 2024

American J Hum Biol

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ObjectivesIn subsistence populations, high physical activity is typically maintained throughout pregnancy. Market integration shifts activity patterns to resemble industrialized populations, with more time allocated to sedentary behavior. Daasanach semi‐nomadic pastoralists living in northern Kenya face lifestyle heterogeneity due to the emergence of a market center. We investigate how Daasanach women manage the energetic demands of pregnancy with subsistence labor tasks and how market integration relates to variation in energetic demands, physical activity, and coping strategies.MethodsWe conducted nine focus group discussions with 72 pregnant women. We also deployed wrist‐worn fitness trackers with 21 pregnant women in two community types: central or peripheral to the market center to capture variation in market integration. Data from focus group discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis. We used multiple linear regression to examine the relationship between gestational age and physical activity.ResultsWe identified themes of increased fatigue, diet restrictions, and assistance with labor tasks during pregnancy. Gestational age negatively predicted mean daily steps, with a decrease of 1160 ± 437 steps per day with each consecutive pregnancy month. Stratified by community type, gestational age only negatively predicted mean daily steps for peripheral communities, with a decrease of 1443 ± 629 steps per day with each consecutive pregnancy month.ConclusionsResults suggest that physical activity differs with market integration early, but not late, in pregnancy. Daasanach women cope with the energetic demands of pregnancy by reducing physical activity late in pregnancy and receiving assistance with labor tasks from family and neighbors.

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Physical Activity and Pregnancy Norms Among Daasanach Semi‐Nomadic Pastoralist Women in Northern Kenya

Sadhir,

McGrosky,

Ford

et al. 2024

American J Hum Biol

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Disentangling social, environmental, and zoonotic transmission pathways of a gastrointestinal protozoan (Blastocystis spp.) in northeast Madagascar

Barrett,

Titcomb,

Janko

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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ObjectivesUnderstanding disease transmission is a fundamental challenge in ecology. We used transmission potential networks to investigate whether a gastrointestinal protozoan (Blastocystis spp.) is spread through social, environmental, and/or zoonotic pathways in rural northeast Madagascar.Materials and MethodsWe obtained survey data, household GPS coordinates, and fecal samples from 804 participants. Surveys inquired about social contacts, agricultural activity, and sociodemographic characteristics. Fecal samples were screened for Blastocystis using DNA metabarcoding. We also tested 133 domesticated animals for Blastocystis. We used network autocorrelation models and permutation tests (network k‐test) to determine whether networks reflecting different transmission pathways predicted infection.ResultsWe identified six distinct Blastocystis subtypes among study participants and their domesticated animals. Among the 804 human participants, 74% (n = 598) were positive for at least one Blastocystis subtype. Close proximity to infected households was the most informative predictor of infection with any subtype (model averaged OR [95% CI]: 1.56 [1.33–1.82]), and spending free time with infected participants was not an informative predictor of infection (model averaged OR [95% CI]: 0.95 [0.82–1.10]). No human participant was infected with the same subtype as the domesticated animals they owned.DiscussionOur findings suggest that Blastocystis is most likely spread through environmental pathways within villages, rather than through social or animal contact. The most likely mechanisms involve fecal contamination of the environment by infected individuals or shared food and water sources. These findings shed new light on human‐pathogen ecology and mechanisms for reducing disease transmission in rural, low‐income settings.

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Mobility ideation due to water problems during historic 2022 drought associated with livestock wealth, water and food insecurity, and fingernail cortisol concentration in northern Kenya

Rosinger,

Stoler,

Ford

et al. 2024

Social Science & Medicine

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The effects of lifestyle change on indicators of cardiometabolic health in semi-nomadic pastoralists

Cited by 4 publications

References 47 publications

Physical Activity and Pregnancy Norms Among Daasanach Semi‐Nomadic Pastoralist Women in Northern Kenya

Physical Activity and Pregnancy Norms Among Daasanach Semi‐Nomadic Pastoralist Women in Northern Kenya

Disentangling social, environmental, and zoonotic transmission pathways of a gastrointestinal protozoan (Blastocystis spp.) in northeast Madagascar

Mobility ideation due to water problems during historic 2022 drought associated with livestock wealth, water and food insecurity, and fingernail cortisol concentration in northern Kenya

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