Am J Biol Anthropol. 2025 Dec;188(4):e70153. doi: 10.1002/ajpa.70153.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Energetic deficits through lack of access to resources and/or increased exposure to stressors are associated with the disadvantaged biocultural environments often afforded to individuals with lower socioeconomic status (SES). We use anthropometric and demographic data collected from 224 adult (aged 20-50 years) individuals whose computed tomography (CT) scans are housed in the New Mexico Decedent Image Database to explore how various limb proportions differ between childhood SES levels.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relationships between childhood SES and body proportions, calculated from standard anthropometrics measured on CT scans, were tested using ANOVA and ANCOVA.
RESULTS: Higher-SES individuals have larger dimensions for a given trunk length than lower-SES individuals across all measurements. The largest differences in individual segments are found in the lower limb segments (tibia and thigh); though total upper limb shows greater between-group differences than total lower limb. Foot length (autopod) differences do not reach statistical significance.
CONCLUSIONS: While individuals who face resource deficits in early childhood may undergo catch-up growth later in development, our study indicates the material disadvantage offered by lower- and middle-SES in New Mexico prevents catch-up growth from equalizing linear growth outcomes even in less plastic dimensions. Our study demonstrates the importance of limb segments as biomarkers of childhood biocultural environments. We highlight that SES is a socially defined category of resource allocation with clear biological impacts, which may be socially mitigated by policies supporting a more equitable division of resources.
PMID:41320675 | DOI:10.1002/ajpa.70153
