Life as a process of making in the Mixe Highlands (Oaxaca,Mexico): towards a ‘general pragmatics’ of life

In contrast to Western philosophy, which has considered the distinction between life and the living to be fundamental, anthropology seems not to have given much thought to the difference between the two. However, the existence of an entity called ‘The One Who Makes Live’ among the Mixe, an Amerindian group living in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico, proves that ethno‐theories of non‐Western peoples often make the distinction between the characteristics and vital processes of living beings (growth, degeneration, reproduction, etc.), on the one hand, and the more or less personified causes that produce them, on the other. Given these circumstances, this article pursues a two‐fold objective. First, based on the results of ethnographic inquiry, it tries to describe the categories of nonhuman agents with which the Mixe understand this production or making of the living. Second, it suggests that, in parallel with numerous approaches developed by anthropologists past and present, the anthropology of life would benefit from an approach based on a ‘general pragmatics’ in order to better understand the diversity of conceptions of life.     

Child Overweight,Associated Psychopathology,and Social Functioning: A French School‐based Survey in 6‐ to 11‐year‐old Children

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of child overweight in a regional sample of primary school‐aged children, and to examine the relationships among child overweight, psychopathology, and social functioning. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in 2004 in 100 primary schools of a large French region, with 2,341 children aged 6–11 randomly selected. Child weight and height, lifestyle variables (leisure‐time physical activity (LTPA), watching television (TV), playing video games), and socioeconomic characteristics were collected in parent‐administered questionnaires. Child psychopathology outcomes were assessed using child‐ and parent‐reported instruments (Dominic Interactive (DI) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)). Overweight and obesity were estimated according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) definition. Response rates to the parent questionnaire and DI were 57.4 and 95.1%, respectively. Final sample size was 1,030 children. According to the IOTF, 17.3% of the children were overweight, of whom 3.3% were obese. In univariate analysis, correlates of overweight were low parental education, low monthly income, Disadvantaged School Areas (DSAs), self‐reported generalized anxiety, parent‐reported conduct disorders, emotional problems, and peer difficulties. High monthly income was less frequently associated with overweight. In multivariate analysis, parent‐reported peer difficulties (odds ratio (OR) = 2.06; 95% confidence interval = 1.27–3.35) and DSAs (1.88; 1.03–3.44) were independent factors significantly associated with child overweight. There was a trend of being overweight with elevated TV times (P for trend = 0.02). The psychosocial burden of excess weight appears to be significant even in young children. Findings should be considered for preventing strategies and public health interventions. School‐based overweight prevention programs should be implemented first in disadvantaged areas together with information about weight stigmatization and discrimination.