Standing tall: Plains indians enjoyed height, health...( While the reasons for the general...)

While the reasons for the general good health of the Plains Indians, compared to whites, has not been extensively studied, Steckel said several plausible theories exist. For one, the Plains Indians ate a varied diet that included a variety of native plants, as well as buffalo and other game that typically roamed the Great Plains, Steckel said.

Moreover, the equestrian Plains tribes were widely spread out and very mobile, meaning they didn't live in one area long enough to accumulate the wastes and parasites that could become a threat to public health, Steckel said.

American Indians did suffer from devastating epidemics such as smallpox that killed significant numbers of people, Steckel said. But the tribes took steps to minimize the effects of these epidemics, such as splitting up the tribe when the illnesses started, which helped stop the spread. Also, they were adept at reorganizing their small bands following deaths from epidemics.

Steckel said American Indians also lived in egalitarian societies that provided a strong safety net for the disadvantaged in their tribes, meaning that no one went hungry or uncared for.

In contrast to these advantages that American Indians enjoyed, many whites living in cities - particularly the poor - couldn't afford food for a healthy and complete diet. These large cities and towns were densely packed and lacked modern sanitary practices, meaning they were breeding grounds for disease. In addition,
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Contact: Richard Steckel
Steckel.1@osu.edu
614-292-5008
Ohio State University
26-May-2001

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