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Nutritional Anthropology

In physical anthropology the role of nutrition in growth and development needs to be understood. The proper physical growth of the human being is always related to the proper nutrition of persons especially in the infancy and the adolescent period of life. Nutrition plays a role in the proper growth and development.

Nutritional deficiency creates physical deformities. One is aware of the protein deficient diet of many African tribes leading to conditions called Kwashiorkor and Marasmus both protein deficiency disorders. Similarly vitamin deficiency disorders are also well known. The malformation of bones due to deficiency of Vitamin D, night blindness due to deficiency of Vitamin A is well known.

The endemic disease of goiter in the sub-Himalayan belt is mainly due to deficiency of iodine. This is due to the fact that the people use rock salt without iodine content.

Applied anthropologists can correlate the characteristic physical appearance of any particular tribe or people by studying the diet these people take regularly. They have distinct role to play in suggesting well-adjusted diets to people in these specific areas to improve their physical form.

Physical anthropologists have evolved various techniques for the identification of racial matter of bones and teeth. The history of fossil bones has been understood thanks to the invention of the microscope. The use of radiology has made the study of palaeopathology much more advanced. Even the blood groups of mummies and bones of past ages could easily be determined because of the innovative methods used to bring back tissues to the normal state again.