Definition

Studies the biological evolution and variation of human beings.
Definition

It examines humans as biological organisms.
Example / case study

even Brahmins of Maharashtra showed diversity, not homogeneity.
Thinkers

S.C. Dube: Indian tradition = multi-polar not bipolar (Classical, Regional, Local, Western, Emergent National, Tradition of elities e.g., Ramayana, Chhath, Sarna, Universal Adult Franchise, Armed Forces).
Definition

Pioneer of village studies in India.
Definition

Anthropometric Methods: This involves quantitative measurements to evaluate undernutrition, growth, and obesity. Common indicators include Height, Weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference, and skinfold thickness. Standardized techniques were systematized by John Weiner and J.A. Lourie (1969). Studies of Indian tribal communities often use these to show Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED).
Example / case study

in Indian Tribes: ICMR (2009) studies utilized these techniques to identify widespread Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) among Indian tribal communities, using Body Mass Index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference as primary indicators of health status. in Indian Tribes: Clinical surveys conducted in tribal regions of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh revealed a high prevalence of Goiter (iodine deficiency) and Bitot’s spots (Vitamin A deficiency) in Indian Context: According to NFHS-5 (2019–21) data, more than 57% of Indian women aged 15–49 are anemic. This assessment relies on hemoglobin tests to provide biochemical evidence of poor iron status across the population. in Global Tribes: Among the Maasai pastoralists, Galvin (1992) used dietary recall to document their extreme seasonal dependence on milk and meat, showing how their health fluctuates with their herding cycles
Definition

Shivpuri district is among the worst malnutrition-affected regions in the world.
Example / case study

1: Lactose Tolerance: This biological trait evolved in specific pastoralist cultures with a history of milk-drinking (cultural economy), showing how a cultural adaptation changed the biological capacity of a population to thrive in their ecological setting. 2: High-Altitude Adaptation: In high-altitude regions like Tibet or the Andes, the ecological stress is hypoxia (low oxygen). Human adaptability here is integrated: it involves biological changes like increased lung capacity and the EPAS1 gene, as well as cultural adjustments like transhumance (seasonal migration) and iron-rich diets. in Indian Tribes: ICMR (2009) studies utilized these techniques to identify widespread Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) among Indian tribal communities, using Body Mass Index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference as primary indicators of health status. in Indian Tribes: Clinical surveys conducted in tribal regions of Odisha and Madhya Pradesh revealed a high prevalence of Goiter (iodine deficiency) and Bitot’s spots (Vitamin A deficiency)
Definition

It examines humans as biological organisms.
Thinkers

S.C. Roy (1871–1942) – First Indian Ethnographer Franz Boas — historical particularism and the four-field approach (biological, archaeological, linguistic, cultural). Eric Wolf – Interdisciplinary Anthropology.
Definition

Mortality is the central factor in population dynamics.

Short notes for this Anthropology syllabus heading.