| Summary: | In this article we report the main results of a multidisci plinary research project that addressed the human body in terms of social and historical processes immersed in the fields of economic and political power. Our studies on the Maya population from Merida, Yucatan, carried out in the last 15 years, highlight the long-term consequences of the living conditions in which Maya people are born, grow and reproduce. The current situation is alarming because growth and nutritional status of children and adult women reflect the effects of chronic poverty. They suffer from both extremes of malnutrition: undernutrition —expressed as stunting in children and short stature in adult women— and overnutrition —expressed in high rates of overweight and obesity in adult women—. Finally, we found evidence that the poor living conditions experienced by Maya mothers and grandmothers have adverse effects on the most recent generations.
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