9416140 SCHOENINGER Accelerated bone loss with age in Eskimo populations has interested anthropologists for decades. It is hypothesized that diets high in protein and acidity are a contributing factor in human bone replacement and bone loss (osteopenia). The importance of diet is suggested by comparisons of pre- and post-Contact Eskimos with Southwest Pueblo maize agriculturalists. This dissertation project is designed to test the hypothesis of dietary influences using controlled animal feeding experiments and human skeletal populations. In addition to providing insight into prehistoric populations, this study contributes to our understanding of skeletal changes among the elderly. ***
