Doctoral Dissertation Research: Iron, infection, and malnutrition

本论文项目是对生活在多代家庭中的儿童的缺铁及其与营养不足和营养过剩的负面生理结果的联系进行生物培养研究。研究人员将研究影响儿童铁状态的生物和生态因素，提供铁缺乏决定因素的实践知识，并解决低铁可能部分预防感染的理论。该项目的研究目标和方法将促进对人类生活史的了解，并有助于讨论为什么旨在减少缺铁和贫血的政策并不总是成功的。该项目将有助于培养一名研究生，并为一名女性社区保健工作者提供人类学和保健科学方面的培训机会。调查人员将通过社区讲习班、与地方和国家卫生机构的会议以及在人类学、公共卫生和医学会议上发表一系列同行评议的出版物和报告来分发该项目的成果。虽然低铁水平与负面健康结果有关，但铁保留是免疫防御传染病的重要组成部分。最佳铁假设（OIH）指出，一个人的最佳铁状态取决于他们特定的疾病生态。该项目将在一个遭受营养过剩和营养不足双重负担的地区测试OIH的新应用。利用定性和定量方法，研究人员将调查铁、感染和营养不良之间的关系，并检查家庭水平和目前铁状态的生物学预测指标。调查人员将采用访谈和观察来确定参与者的健康史、饮食质量和家庭疾病暴露情况。研究人员还将测量身高和体重，以确定营养状况，并通过收集和分析血液样本收集铁含量和感染的数据。

This dissertation project is a biocultural investigation of iron deficiency and its connection to negative physiological outcomes in children living in multi-generational households where individuals experience both under- and overnutrition. Investigators will examine biological and ecological factors that influence child iron status, providing practical knowledge on determinants of iron deficiency and addressing the theory that low iron may be partially protective against infection. The research objectives and methods of this project will advance knowledge about human life history, and contribute to the discussion about why policies that aim to reduce iron deficiency and anemia are not always successful. This project will contribute to the education of a graduate student as well as provide training opportunities in anthropological and health sciences to a female community health worker. Investigators will distribute the results of this project through community workshops, meetings with local and national health agencies, and a series of peer-reviewed publications and presentations at anthropological, public health, and medical conferences. While low levels of iron are associated with negative health outcomes, iron withholding is an important component in immune defense against infectious disease. The Optimal Iron Hypothesis (OIH) states that an individual's optimal iron status is contingent on their particular disease ecology. This project will test a new application of OIH in an area that suffers from the dual burden of over- and undernutrition. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, researchers will investigate the relationship between iron, infection, and malnutrition as well as examine household-level and biological predictors of current iron status. Investigators will employ interviews and observations to establish participant health histories, diet quality, and disease exposure in households. Researchers will also measure height and weight to establish nutrition status as well as gather data on iron status and infection through the collection and analysis of blood samples.