Paleonutritional analysis of the pre-Hispanic population from Fuerteventura (Canary Islands).
In this study, from histological and chemical perspectives, we analyse the human remains belonging to the pre-Hispanic inhabitants from Fuerteventura (one of the Canary Islands) and compare the results with those obtained on a sample of pre-Hispanic inhabitants from Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). We observe that trabecular bone mass was normal in the samples from Fuerteventura except for an elderly woman; this result is in sharp contrast with the decreased bone mass observed in the population from Gran Canaria. The pre-Hispanic population from Fuerteventura showed lower bone strontium, Sr/Ca ratio, and bone barium, but slightly higher bone copper, than that from Gran Canaria. All these data indicate a greater consumption of marine products by the population of Fuerteventura. The high prevalence of osteoporosis observed in the population from Gran Canaria may be interpreted as a consequence of protein-calorie malnutrition, a condition which seemed to be not so prevalent in the population of Fuerteventura.
González-Reimer
E
E
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Tenerife, Canary, Islands, Spain.
Velasco-Vázquez
J
J
Arnay-de-la-Rosa
M
M
Santolaria-Fernández
F
F
Galindo-Martín
L
L
D000349:Africa; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence