Applications of Biological Anthropology to Human Affairs

Download or read book Applications of Biological Anthropology to Human Affairs written by C. G. Nicholas Mascie-Taylor and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2005-09-08 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The unique contribution made by biological anthropology to human welfare lies in the fundamental understanding it can provide of the dynamic interrelationships between physical and social factors. By understanding these patterns, we can interpret the significance of variation in such measures of human well-being in terms of the incidence of disease and mortality rates. Topics covered in this book include reproductive ecology and fertility, nutritional status in relation to health, and the effects of pollution on individual growth. In later chapters, the concepts of physiological adaptation and Darwinian fitness and their relation to individual physical fitness are explored.