Paper Nuevo: Isótopos Estables, dieta y antropometría

En este paper publicado en el American journal of Human Biology presentamos un estudio sobre las diferencias en la dieta, las medidas corporales (obesidad) y los isótopos estables en mujeres de distintos estratos socio-económicos de Cali, Colombia, y evaluamos las relaciones entre estas variables.

Este trabajo forma parte de la tesis doctoral de Richard Bender y es su primer artículo publicado como primer autor! Análisis preliminares de estos datos fueron presentados en dos oportunidades en las reuniones de la American Association of Physical Anthropologists y en una oportunidad Richard ganó el premio "The Juan Comas Prize" (Stable isotopes (13C and 15N) track socioeconomic differences among urban Colombian women) otorgado por la mencionada asociación.

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

Richard L. Bender, Darna L. Dufour, Luciano O. Valenzuela, Thure E. Cerling, Matt Sponheimer, Julio C. Reina, James R. Ehleringer.

Abstract:
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. Hair samples from 38 women (mean age 33.4) from higher and lower SES groups were analyzed for δ¹³C,  δ¹⁵N, and  δ³⁴S values. Dietary intake was assessed via 24-h recalls. Anthropometric variables measured were body mass index, five body circumferences, and six skinfold thicknesses. Mean  δ¹³C and  δ¹⁵N values of the higher SES group (−16.4 and 10.3‰) were significantly greater than those of the lower SES group (−17.2 and 9.6‰; P < 0.01), but mean δ34S values did not differ significantly between groups (higher SES: 4.6‰; lower SES: 5.1‰). The higher SES group consumed a greater percentage of protein than the lower SES group (14% vs. 12% of energy; P = 0.03), but the groups did not differ in other dietary characteristics or in anthropometric characteristics.  δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and  δ³⁴S values were not correlated with intake of the dietary items predicted (sugars, animal-source protein, and marine foods, respectively). The lower SES group was more variable in all three stable isotope values (P < 0.05), mirroring a trend toward greater dietary variability in this group. Stable isotope values revealed a difference between SES groups that was not explained by the dietary data. The relationship between diet and stable isotope composition is complex.