Ethnic heterogeneity in body composition patterning and CVD risk factors: a multi-ethnic study of Asian Indian Tribes.

Background: Indian subcontinent exhibits considerable degree of ethnic heterogeneity in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks. Given the importance of ethnicity, the present multi-ethnic study was conducted to find out the differences in body composition patterning and its influence on CVD risk variables.

Objective: Owing to considerable ethnic heterogeneity among Asian Indians the study was performed to determine the association of variability between body composition and CVD risk factors at the micro-level among different tribes by sex, province, and generation.

Genomic Heterogeneity of the Naga and Kuki Tribal Populations of Manipur, Northeast India.

Manipur, one of the northeastern states of India, lies on the ancient silk route and serves as a meeting point between Southeast Asia and South Asia. The origin and migration histories of Naga and Kuki tribal populations are not clearly understood. Moreover, Kukis have been traced to two different ancestries, which has created confusion among the people.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors among tribal adolescents of Gujarat.

Background And Aim: Metabolic syndrome is rising at an alarming rate in developing countries. In India, increasing influence of urbanization in the rural areas is responsible for transition in lifestyle and diet of the indigenous people. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the associated risk factors among the adolescents of Kukana tribe of Valsad district, Gujarat.

Prevalence and risks of hypertension among Indian tribes and its status among the lean and underweight individuals.

Objective: With the increased worldwide prevalence of hypertension among the underprivileged populations, fewerstudies have reported such risks among Indian tribes. In the context of high prevalence of undernutrition, no such study has examined hypertension among lean and underweight Indian tribal individuals separately.

Methods: We selected total samples of 1066 adult males and 1090 adult females in 20-60 years age-group cross-sectionally to examine the status of hypertension and its risks among nine major tribes in three Indian states; separate analyses for lean and underweight tribal individuals were done.

Comparing the ability of anthropometric indicators in determining the prevalence of hypertension among Indian tribes.

Objective: We compared the ability of the selected anthropometric indicators to best predict the prevalence of hypertension among the Indian tribes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 1431 adult participants (705 males and 726 females) between the ages of 20 and 60 years from six major tribes in India. Selected anthropometric indicators such as body mass index (BMI), waist-hip-ratio (WHR), waist-height-ratio (WHtR), percentage body fat (PBF), visceral fat (VF), minimum-waist-circumference (MWC) and sum-of-the-four skinfold thickness (SF4), along with the physiological parameters such as blood pressure were recorded.

Determinants of demographic characteristics of the Lamkang tribe, Manipur.

The present study provides the demographic account of the Lamkang tribe of Manipur who suffered the bottleneck effect in 1840s and 1992. The objectives are: (i) to determine the age-sex composition of the Lamkang, (ii) to see the sex disparity among the Lamkang (iii) to examine the various biological and social factors that govern the fertility pattern among the Lamkang tribe of Manipur. The present study reveals that the Lamkang population is showing tendency towards fertility transition as evident from the population pyramid.

Gender Disparities in the Prevalence of Undernutrition and the Higher Risk among the Young Women of Indian Tribes.

Background: High undernutrition is a grave concern in India. Marginalized populations like Indian tribes have been under the serious stress of such nutritional extreme. Women, in particular, are the worst sufferers.

Genetic variation at Q192R and L55M polymorphisms in PON1.

Earlier we have reported Q192R allele frequencies among four Indian populations as a part of an investigation of the distribution of Paraoxonase 1 polymorphisms. Here we present the results obtained after screening eleven populations representing different regions of India for Q192R and L55M. Population genetic analysis examining the effect of micro-evolutionary forces at these loci confirmed genetic differentiation at Q192R earlier suggested.

Triple Burden of Obesity, Undernutrition, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk among Indian Tribes.

Background: Socio-cultural transitions among individuals from vulnerable groups introduce epidemiological transition, with a concomitant increase in the prevalence of undernutrition, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risks. An accepted conventional wisdom exists for Indian tribes that they are undernourished and away from lifestyle-related diseases. However, the extent of this triple burden affecting them is unknown.

Allele frequencies of PON1 Q192R polymorphism in four populations of India.

The allelic distribution at Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) Q192R polymorphism determines differential sensitivity towards certain organophosphate pesticides. The alleles Q (Glutamine) and R (Arginine) at amino acid position 192 are responsible for the lower and higher activity of the enzyme towards paraoxon respectively, making knowledge of this distribution in different populations vital. This study reports the genotype and allele frequencies of the Gln192Arg polymorphism of PON1 in four populations of India, comprising two caste and two tribal groups hitherto unexamined for this polymorphism.

Y chromosome haplogroup distribution in Indo-European speaking tribes of Gujarat, western India.

The present study was carried out in the Indo-European speaking tribal population groups of Southern Gujarat, India to investigate and reconstruct their paternal population structure and population histories. The role of language, ethnicity and geography in determining the observed pattern of Y haplogroup clustering in the study populations was also examined. A set of 48 bi-allelic markers on the non-recombining region of Y chromosome (NRY) were analysed in 284 males; representing nine Indo-European speaking tribal populations.

Distribution of beta-globin haplotypes among the tribes of southern Gujarat, India.

The present study was carried out in Indo-European speaking tribal population groups of southern Gujarat (India) to elucidate the allelic and haplotypic content of β-globin system in individuals with HbAA genotypes. 6 neutral restriction sites of the β-globin system were analysed and various statistical parameters were estimated to draw meaningful interpretations. All the 6 sites were found to be polymorphic and most were in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium in the studied group.

Haptoglobin polymorphism among the tribal groups of southern Gujarat.

Background: Gujarat is located at the western most point of the Indian subcontinent. Valsad and Surat districts are part of the 'tribal belt'of Gujarat and constitute 29.1% of total tribal population of Gujarat.

Genomic congruence of Indo-European speaking tribes of western India with Dravidian-speaking populations of southern India: A study of 20 autosomal DNA markers.

Background: Due to its geographic location, Gujarat has played a major role in assimilation of different cultures with those of the subcontinent of India and is home to a number of Indo-European speaking tribes.

Aim: This study examined the genetic structure and extent of gene differentiation in eight Indo-European speaking tribal populations of southern Gujarat in western India. It also determined if there was any residual effect of linguistic and cultural assimilation of Indo-European speaking groups on the genomic profile of the tribes under study.

Genomic structure of the immigrant Siddis of East Africa to southern India: a study of 20 autosomal DNA markers.

The Siddis are a tribal group of African origin living in Karnataka, India. They have undergone considerable cultural change due to their proximity to neighboring population groups. To understand the biological consequences of these changes, we describe the genomic structure of the Siddis and the contribution from putative ancestral populations using 20 autosomal DNA markers.

Haplotype diversity and linkage disequilibrium at the DRD2 locus among the tribes of western and southern regions of India.

Background: Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) is an important gene having functional significance in the fields of neuropsychiatry and pharmacology and also has importance in evolutionary studies.

Materials And Methods: This study was undertaken to find out the haplotype distribution and linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern for the three TaqI sites (TaqI 'A', TaqI 'B' and TaqI 'D') in the DRD2 gene in 232 unrelated individuals from five ethno-linguistically distinct endogamous tribal populations; Siddis and Gonds of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka; Varli and Kolgha of Valsad district, Gujarat; and Dangi Konkana of Dang district, Gujarat. The genotype data obtained after molecular analysis of the three DRD2 sites was subjected to statistical analysis such as calculation of allele frequencies, haplotype frequencies among others.

Anthropometric and body composition characteristics among preschool children of Coastal, Himalayan and Desert Ecology in India.

The present cross-sectional study was aimed to compare anthropometric and body composition characteristics of preschool children in the three contrasting ecological niches namely Coastal, Himalayan and Desert Ecology. A total of 989 randomly selected children (aged < 6 years) in which 306 children (164 boys and 142 girls) belong to Coastal Ecology, 327 children (177 boys and 150 girls) belong to Himalayan Ecology and 356 children (168 boys and 188 girls) belong to Desert Ecology. Anthropometric measures namely height, weight, skinfolds at biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac were measured for each child.

Genomic and linguistic affinities: a study of allelic and haplotype diversity at DRD2 locus among the tribes of Gujarat, western India.

Do genetic and linguistic affinities necessarily go hand in hand? An attempt has been made in the present work to explore this dimension of population structure using three evolutionarily important TaqI sites (TaqI A, TaqI B, and TaqI D) on the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) locus. For the first time, DNA samples from 612 unrelated individuals belonging to 11 Indo-European-speaking tribal population groups of Gujarat, western India, have been analyzed for these three sites. All the three sites are found to be polymorphic with greater interpopulation variation seen at the TaqI B site.

Genetic affinities of the Siddis of South India: an emigrant population of East Africa.

Historical records indicate that the Portuguese brought the African Siddis to Goa, India, as slaves about 500 years ago. Subsequently, the Siddis moved into the interior regions of the state of Karnataka, India, and have remained there ever since. Over time the Siddis have experienced considerable cultural changes because of their proximity to neighboring population groups.

Undernutrition among the tribal children in India: tribes of Coastal, Himalayan and Desert ecology.

The purpose of the present cross-sectional investigation was to assess the nutritional condition in children of three tribal communities namely Dhodia, Kinnaura and Bhil, which belong to Coastal, Himalayan and Desert ecology, respectively, in India. A total of 989 tribal children in the age group 0-1 years through 5+ years (below 6 years) was examined. There were 306 Dhodia children (164 boys and 142 girls), 327 Kinnaura children (177 boys and 150 girls) and 356 Bhil children (168 boys and 188 girls) out of 989 subjects.

Fertility and mortality differentials among the population groups of the Himalayas.

Selection potential based on differential fertility and mortality has been computed for 24 Himalayan populations classified into four groups: Himalayan populations with Asian affinities (HPA), Brahmans, Rajputs, and Scheduled Castes (Shilpkars). Irrespective of the methodology followed, the total index of selection was found to be highest (0.794) in Barbatiyas (HPA) and lowest (0.