On Fri, 31 May 2002, Amadeus Schmidt wrote:

> On Fri, 31 May 2002 08:56:48 +1000, Phosphor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >.., the precarious state of Tarahumara children's health has been known for
> >decades. Tarahumara infant mortality rate (95 per 1000 live borns) is
> >nearly
> >double that of the national indigenous infant mortality rate (55 x 1000).
> >Children's anthropometry is typical of chronic undernutrition. In the local
> >hospitals of Guachochi municipality, high numbers of child deaths are
> >reported due to infectious diseases along with moderate to severe
> >malnutrition
> >http://www.chi.itesm.mx/~investig/Salud_Indigena/7foodaid.html
>
> Such a contemporary malnutrition amoung a indigenous population needn't have
> to do with the properties of their traditional staple.
> They will have adopted some bad "westernized" habits, like sugar, alcohol
> etc..  I guess you would *not* attribute the current health state of inuit
> to their traditional diet.

On further research, the picture is muddled.  That the Tarahumara
have been reduced to a very poor state in recent times is clear,
and th have also been plagued by droughts.  Your parallel with
the Inuit is appropriate.  References to the wonderful health of
the Tarahumara, like similar references to the Inuit, may refer
to what they were like before extended contact with civilization,
of they may be fanciful.  In any case, it's difficult to get a
clear picture.

Todd Moody
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