Doctoral Dissertation Research: Iron, infection, and malnutrition

本论文项目是关于铁缺乏的生物文化调查及其与生活在多代家庭中的儿童的负面生理结果的关系，在这些家庭中，每个人都经历了营养不足和营养过剩。研究人员将研究影响儿童铁状况的生物和生态因素，提供铁缺乏决定因素的实用知识，并阐述低铁可能对感染具有部分保护作用的理论。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。该项目将有助于研究生的教育，并为女性社区卫生工作者提供人类学和卫生科学方面的培训机会。研究人员将通过社区研讨会、与地方和国家卫生机构的会议以及一系列同行评议的出版物和在人类学、公共卫生和医学会议上的陈述来传播这一项目的结果。虽然低水平的铁与负面的健康后果有关，但抑制铁是抵御传染病的免疫防御的重要组成部分。最佳铁假说(OIH)指出，一个人的最佳铁状态取决于他们特定的疾病生态。该项目将在一个营养过剩和营养不良双重负担的地区测试OIH的新应用。研究人员将使用定性和定量的方法，调查铁、感染和营养不良之间的关系，并检查家庭水平和当前铁状况的生物学预测因素。调查人员将利用访谈和观察来确定参与者的健康历史、饮食质量和家庭中的疾病暴露情况。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有关铁状况和感染的数据。

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.