abstract: Early weaning, slow somatic and dental growth, and late age at reproduction are all part of a suite of energetic trade-offs that have shaped human evolution. A similar suite of energetic trade-offs has shaped the evolution of the indriid-palaeopropithecid clade, though members of this clade exhibit extremely fast dental development and nearly vestigial deciduous teeth. The development and functional occlusion of the primary postcanine dentition (i.e., deciduous premolars and molars) coincides with several life history parameters in great apes and indriids. This dissertation explored great ape dental macrowear, molar development in indriids, and molar size in lemurs with a broader goal of improving reconstructions of life history profiles in extinct primates. To this aim, macrowear and dental development were analyzed in apes and lemurs, respectively. Occlusal casts (six great ape species; N=278) were scanned to track mandibular fourth deciduous premolar (dp4) macrowear. Utilizing dental topographic analyses, changes in occlusal gradient and terrain were quantified. A subset of the great ape data (four species; n=199) was analyzed to test if differences in dp4 wear correlate with age at weaning. Using dental histology, molar development was reconstructed for Indri indri (n=1) and Avahi laniger (n=1). Life history and molar size data were collected from the literature. The results of this dissertation demonstrate that most great apes exhibited evidence of topographic maintenance, suggesting dp4s wear in a manner that maintain functional efficiency during growth and development; however, the manner in which maintenance is achieved (e.g., preservation of relief or complexity) is species specific. Dp4 macrowear is not correlated with age at weaning in great apes and is probably unreliable to reconstruct age at weaning in hominins. The pace of molar development in members of the indriid- palaeopropithecid clade did not correlate with body or brain size, an association present in several other primates. Associations of molar size with age at weaning suggest that expanding other developmental models (e.g., the inhibitory cascade) to life history is worth consideration. The broad variation in macrowear, dental development, and size highlights how the primary dentition may correlate with different life history parameters depending on the species and ecological setting, an important consideration when using teeth to reconstruct life history profiles. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Anthropology 2016

Increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and related cardiovascular diseases among older adults in the United States present unique public health challenges. Cross-cultural research has shown marked variation in health across the world’s elder populations because aging is a biological process rooted in sociocultural context. The sociocultural environment contributes to complex negotiations of food and physical activity patterns for older adults. It is well established in the literature that urban residents report low levels of physical activity and have easy access to fast food outlets, which tend to be concentrated in lower-income neighborhoods. I utilize a biocultural framework, integrating nutritional anthropology with healthy aging perspectives to recognize the role of the social determinants of health throughout the lifespan. This anthropological study integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to answer the following research question: What is the relationship between the sociocultural factors that shape diet, physical activity, and nutritional status among Alaskan elders in Anchorage? The results indicate that diet and physical activity practices in this sample do not meet national recommendations and that diet differs adversely from national reference samples. Statistical analyses indicate that the media and friends positively influenced older adults to increase their energy expenditure. Family influences increased fruit consumption, while participation in cultural and social events increased intake of fats and sweets. Cultural identity was an important factor for Alaska Native participants’ dietary selections. Social supports increased access to healthy foods and safe physical activities. This research suggests that trying to reach older adults with diverse needs through a variety of channels, including the media, social networks, and social events, can help alleviate some of the barriers to healthy diet and exercise patterns. These data indicate a need for culturally-responsive programs that maintain relationships with family members and make connections between elders with similar healthy aging goals in order to improve diet and physical activity practices.

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