Anthropology

DNA samples of 948 individuals belonging to 27 populations from southern Andhra Pradesh were analyzed for nine AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus loci. The nature and extent of genomic diversity within and between these populations have been examined with reference to socioeconomic and geographic affiliations. The results suggest that the average heterozygosity is uniformly high in these populations (Ͼ0.80) and that the patterns of allele distributions are similar across the populations. The value of the coefficient of gene differentiation and the AMOVA and structure analysis results suggest that these populations are highly homogeneous. The neighbor-joining tree constructed using either D A or F ST distances suggests no intelligible pattern of population clusters based on ethnohistoric or geographic affiliations. All these observations suggest either a common recent origin of these populations or extensive gene flow across the populations that erased the original genetic differences. Given strict endogamy, the latter explanation can hold only if there has been unauthorized or unrecognized gene flow transecting the social boundaries. Nevertheless, the regression plot of average heterozygosity versus distance from the centroid (R ii ), based on Harpending and Ward's (1982) model, and the genetic distances computed between different hierarchical groups within Andhra Pradesh tend to support this conjecture. Overall, the results suggest lack of a significant degree of genetic stratification that is consistent with social stratification in Andhra Pradesh. Furthermore, the neighbor-joining tree based on comparative data from other Indian and continental populations brings out a single and compact cluster of all the Andhra populations that is clearly separated from the rest.

This paper attempts to assess the nutritional status of 912 elderly
persons-Chakhesang elderly-(425 males and 487 females) with age
ranging from60 to 101 years, living in rural areas of Phek district,
Nagaland, These elderly persons were administered anthropometry and
Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale. This scale is a comprehensive
tool designed and specifically developed for use with elderly people.
The MNA is an 18 item protocol comprising of anthropometric measurements (BMI, mid-arm circumference and calf circumference) combined with dietary intake (number of meals consumed, food and fluid intake) and a self-assessment (self-perception of health and nutrition, weight loss, medication, feeding autonomy, mobility, presence of acute stress and presence of dementia or depression). According to the MNA scale, 1.6 percent of the elders were found to belong to the ‘malnourished’ category with an MNA score of 17 while, 66.7 per cent of the elders belonged to the ‘at the risk of malnutrition’ category as defined by MNA scale of =23.5.The percentage of elders who had ‘normal nutritional status’ with MNA score of =30 was found to be 31.7 per cent. On the contrary, according to BMI classification (WHO, 2004), 21.3 per cent of the elders belonged to the underweight category, 72.5 per cent were normal and 6.2 per cent were in the overweight category with negligible record of obese individuals in the present study. This study revealed that there was significant difference between MNA and BMI on the assessment of nutritional status. BMI reference values for the evaluation of the nutritional status in older adults have been based upon extrapolations on studies using young adults or based on statistical definitions of threshold values, rather than on the elderly’s morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to consider all of these factors to determine desirable threshold values for anthropometric measures in the elderly population.

Background: This study was carried out with an aim to render an anthropometric profile of an elderly population in North-east India, making comparisons between men and women. Nutritional status was also assessed in relation to age and gender.