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Objectives This study investigated morning salivary cortisol concentration in relation to total body fat composition among community-dwelling Papua New Guinean adults. Methods In addition to demographic and anthropometric measurements, saliva was collected in a single morning from 478 residents in Eastern Highlands Province and Madang Province. Results After adjusting for age, region, and occupation, the morning salivary cortisol concentration was significantly negatively correlated with body mass index among men (B = −0.01, P

Objectives People in the Papua New Guinea Highlands consume sweet potatoes as their dietary staple; consumption of animal protein is limited. In such societies with marginal protein intake, the intra-household allocation of animal protein in terms of sex or age is of importance. The objective of this study was to investigate how the allocation pattern of protein-rich foods by sex and age is associated with economic development in the Papua New Guinea Highlands. Methods The carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of fingernails, collected in 1995 in two areas (Tari and Port Moresby [the national capital where Tari migrants resided]), and of scalp hair, collected in 2007, 2012, and 2013 in three areas of different degree of economic development (Levani, Tari, and Goroka) were analyzed. Results Analysis of fingernail samples showed that δ15N was lower in rural communities than in the urban migrant community, while a sex difference in δ15N (higher in males than in females) was found in the former but not in the latter community. Age was not associated with either δ15N or δ13C values. The analysis of scalp hair samples showed that δ15N values were lowest in Levani, the least developed area. Furthermore, there were statistically significant sex differences in δ15N values in Levani but not in Tari and Goroka. Age was not associated with either δ15N or δ13C values. Discussion The sex inequality in animal protein consumption seems to have decreased as the communities in the Papua New Guinea Highlands have experienced economic development. Am J Phys Anthropol 159:164–173, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objectives: We present new nitrogen isotopic discrimination factor between diets and scalp hairs (Δ15NHair-Diet: δ15NHair – δ15NDiet) for indigenous residents in three communities in the Papua New Guinea Highlands who consumed various amounts and qualities of protein. The Δ15N is important for precise evaluation of the dietary habits of human populations; in both contemporary and traditional lifestyles. Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding factors that affect Δ15N values, based largely on observations from animal feeding experiments. However, variations and factors controlling Δ15N in humans are not well understood, mainly due to the difficulty of controlling the diets of participants. Materials and Methods: These residents were studied because they have maintained relatively traditional dietary habits, which allow quantitative recording of diets. Δ15N was estimated by comparing hair δ15N values to mean dietary δ15N values calculated from the recorded intake of each food item and their δ15N values. Results: The results showed that: i) there was a significant difference in Δ15N among study locations (3.9 ± 0.9‰ for most urbanized, 5.2 ± 1.0‰ for medium and 5.0 ± 0.9‰ for least urbanized communities; range = 1.2–7.3‰ for all participants); and ii) estimated Δ15N values were negatively correlated with several indicators of animal protein intake (% nitrogen in diet: range = 0.9–7.6%). Discussion: We hypothesize that a combination of several factors, which presumably included urea recycling and amino acid and protein recycling and/or de novo synthesis during metabolic processes, altered the Δ15N values of the participants.

Objectives: The aim of this article was to develop a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and evaluate its validity to estimate habitual protein intake, and investigate current dietary protein intakes of Papua New Guinea (PNG) Highlanders. Methods: A 32-item FFQ was developed and tested among 135 healthy male and female volunteers. The FFQ-estimated daily total and animal protein intakes were compared with biomarkers and 3-day Weighed Food Records (WFR) by correlation analyses, Bland–Altman plot analyses and joint classification analyses. Results: The FFQ-estimated total protein intake significantly correlated with urinary nitrogen in the first morning void after adjusting urinary creatinine concentration (r = 0.28, P

Objectives: Obesity and hypertension are increasing in Papua New Guinea. This study investigated the association of dietary pattern and physical activity level with anthropometric measurements and blood pressure in migrant Bougainvilleans in the capital city of Port Moresby. Methods: Adults who had moved from Naasioi territory on Bougainville Island and resided in Port Moresby during the study period were studied (n = 70). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to evaluate physical activity, and dietary pattern was assessed by per week consumption frequency of food items. Results: The least square regression analysis revealed that interindividual variation in body mass index and waist circumference was explained by variations in physical activity but not by dietary pattern. Blood pressure was not associated with physical activity level or dietary pattern. Conclusion: The individual variation in anthropometric measurements in urban Papua New Guinea is mainly influenced by physical activity level. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.