The most prominent Human Ecology among the Mayas in Yucatan, México (II)

The most prominent Human Ecology among the Mayas in Yucatan, México (II)
2010. Stature as a measure of social inequalities, Colonia San José Tecoh, Mérida, Yucatán (México). Barry Bogin © Proyecto Maya y Barry Bogin

The most prominent Human Ecology among the Mayas in Yucatan, México (II)

Women’s roles in community life are very important. They keep up networks of relationships which are essential for improving health, eating habits, education, religion and communal cohesion. The Mayas have a long history of malnutrition, infectious diseases and heavy workloads. These factors hinder their growth and damage their health in many ways. Over the past few decades, the prevalence of infectious diseases has diminished and vaccination programmes have been successfully put in place. However, the small stature of the Mayas still warns us that there is a lot to do to improve their health. The Mayas are going through “nutritional transition”. This means that they are changing from traditional foods with a high fibre and low fat content to processed foods which are rich in fat and calories and low in fibre.

To quote Professor James Tanner: “The patterns of growth in human populations reflect the material and moral conditions of a society”. The photo compares the stature of a Maya grandmother, her granddaughter and the researcher, Ines Varela-Silva,  who is 159 cm tall. The photo contextualizes the short stature of the Mayas.

 

Inés Varela-Silva, professor and researcher at Loughborough University (United Kingdom)