In the post-medieval Netherlands (c. 1650 to 1850 CE), large socioeconomic differences within urban centres existed, which appear to correlate with the diet each socioeconomic group had access to....Show moreIn the post-medieval Netherlands (c. 1650 to 1850 CE), large socioeconomic differences within urban centres existed, which appear to correlate with the diet each socioeconomic group had access to. While low socioeconomic status (SES) often evokes the association of low body mass as a result of having little access to food, modern-day studies show that people living in poverty actually have a higher body mass than contemporaries of higher socioeconomic status. This thesis aims to study to what extend the relationship between body mass and socioeconomic status existed in the post-medieval Netherlands, with a focus on the role of diet and lifestyle. This was done by studying two post-medieval urban populations: one with a low SES from the Eusebiuskerk in Arnhem and one with a high SES from the Broerenkerk in Zwolle. Body mass was estimated by applying body mass estimation equations developed by Ruff et al. (2012) to measurements of the femoral head breadth. Statistical analyses were applied to compare the mean body mass between the high- and low SES samples. The males and females were compared separately. The results showed a positive relation between body mass and low SES. However, this relation was only statistically significant between the male samples. As males had more access to food because of their role in the household, the calorie-dense diet of low SES males could have allowed them to consume more calories than their high SES male counterparts who had access to a more varied diet with overall less calories. Low SES males furthermore performed more physically intense labour than the high SES males, increasing their muscle mass. Both female groups likely had less access to food in general, thus it is plausible that bottom line they consumed similar amount of calories. Also, both female groups would have mostly performed similar household tasks leading to no difference in muscle mass. Lastly, the femoral head is less responsive to changes in body mass in females which could attribute to these results. It can thus be concluded that that body mass can change as a result of status-differences in diet and labour. Based on the sites of Zwolle and Arnhem there seems to be a positive relation between low socioeconomic status and body mass in the post-medieval Netherlands.Show less
Osteoarthritis (OA), is the most commonly occurring joint disease, it affects the synovial joints and is characterized by degenerative changes in the joint structure. Furthermore, it is one of the...Show moreOsteoarthritis (OA), is the most commonly occurring joint disease, it affects the synovial joints and is characterized by degenerative changes in the joint structure. Furthermore, it is one of the diseases used in examining activity patterns within populations. This research makes use of two population samples, one with low-status individuals from Arnhem, buried in a cemetery outside the St. Eusebius’ Church, and one with high-status individuals from Zwolle, buried within the Broerenkerk. The aim of the research is to see if there are any remarkable differences between the prevalence of OA in the low-status population and the high-status population. To answer this question, 37 individuals from Arnhem and 55 individuals from Zwolle were analyzed. Males, females and indeterminate sexes were included in the sample as well as individuals from the early young adult age group to the old adult age group. 34 joints of all individuals (seventeen left and seventeen right) were scored plus the vertebral column and ribs. The scores were given on the basis of specific scoring systems for each joint and were put in a table ending up with a final score for all individuals. From these scores, it is evident that the females in Zwolle have a higher prevalence of OA than the females in Arnhem, the males of both samples are equally distributed. Considering the age groups, the two youngest age groups have a higher prevalence in the sample of Arnhem and the two oldest age groups have a higher prevalence in the sample of Zwolle. Status-difference might be the cause for these differences. However, the professions during the post-medieval period were similar in both cities. Regarding the most affected joints in both samples, the low-status population has the highest prevalence of OA in the arms, while the high-status population has the highest prevalence of OA in the legs. This difference could be explained by considering activity induced OA versus weight induced OA. Concluding from this study, there are some differences between the two samples regarding sexes and age groups. However, the total prevalence of OA in the Arnhem sample is slightly lower (5%) than the prevalence of OA in the Zwolle sample. Therefore, it seems unlikely that there is a difference between the prevalence of OA in low-status and high-status populations. This is confirmed by statistical analyses.Show less
