Episode 371: Child Rearing Across Cultures, Melanie Martin

This week I’m talking with Melanie Martin, a biological anthropologist investigating evolutionary and ecological influences on growth and development, and the implications of those relationships for public health.

Her research, conducted with two indigenous populations—the Tsimane of Bolivia and the Qom of Argentina—combines field research with laboratory analysis of non-invasive biomarkers and mixed-modeling approaches.

We discuss child rearing in remote villages and breast feeding practices across cultures. We also get into the Hygiene Hypothesis and Immune System Functions and Auto Immune Disorders.