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Cited by 68Obesity, Physical Activity, DietIndigenous Health and EducationPhysical Activity and Health

Energy expenditure among farmers in developing countries: What do we know?

Dufour, Darna L., Piperata, Barbara A.·2008·American Journal of Human Biology
DOI 10.1002/ajhb.20764
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Abstract

The trend toward overweight and obesity in developing countries is often assumed to be due, in part, to reductions in energy expenditure associated with the transition from agrarian to urban lifestyles. In this article we first review the published studies on energy expenditure in farming populations living in developing countries, populations generally assumed to have high levels of energy expenditure. To facilitate comparison we express energy expenditure as physical activity level (PAL), i.e. the ratio of total daily energy expenditure to basal metabolic rate. Then, with the goal of better understanding variability in energy expenditure between different human groups, we focus on case studies of women farmers in Colombia and Brazil for whom we have good ethnographic data. The published studies reviewed indicate that most farmers have PAL values in the moderate physical activity range, but toward the high end of that range. PAL values of male farmers tend to be higher than female, and show greater seasonal variation. The case studies illustrate that women farmers, living in broadly similar environments, and dependent on the cultivation of the same crop can have quite different patterns of physical activity and hence PAL values. These differences are a function of differences in behavior related to social and cultural variables like the organization of work at the household level and perceptions of how food crops should be processed, as well as micro‐level ecological factors. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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Crossref · 10.1002/ajhb.20764

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  • Similar patterns were suggested by studies among Gambian farmers, Aymara agropastoralists, and subsistence societies more generally.

    “Similar patterns were suggested by studies among Gambian farmers [44], Aymara agropastoralists [45], and subsistence societies more generally [46].”

    From Physical Activity and Modernization among Bolivian Amerindians (2013) · cites this paper as [46]

  • The PAL of adult orangutans (mean 1.7) is comparable to observed PAL of humans in physically demanding agricultural lifestyles (mean PAL, 1.9 for males; 1.7 for females) and wild howler monkeys (PAL, 2.0), and well above estimated PAL for wild orangutans (PAL, 1.4).

    “This is comparable to the observed PAL of humans in physically demanding agricultural lifestyles (mean PAL, 1.9 for males; 1.7 for females) (24) and wild howler monkeys (PAL, 2.0) (25), and well above estimated PAL for wild orangutans (PAL, 1.4) (12).”

    From Metabolic adaptation for low energy throughput in orangutans. (2010) · cites this paper as [24]

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Authors
Dufour, D. L., & Piperata, B. A.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • The Ohio State University (US)
Corresponding author
Dufour, Darna L.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Human Biology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2008-03-17
Volume
20
Issue
3
Pages
249-258
ISSN
  • 1042-0533 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-6300
DOI
10.1002/ajhb.20764
OpenAlex
W1984985462
Cited by
68
References
54
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 7
FWCI
0.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • American Journal of Human Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Indigenous Health and Education
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
Keywords
energy expenditure, farmers, physical activity level, women farmers, obesity, overweight, seasonal variation, gender differences, developing countries, Colombia, Brazil
MeSH terms
Adult, Agriculture, Developing Countries, Energy Metabolism, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Motor Activity, Obesity, Physical Fitness, Risk Factors, Overweight

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