Dawn Neill, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Anthropology

Department of Social Sciences

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)

San Luis Obispo, CA  93407

Education

Publications

Research

Teaching

Urbanization and Parental Investment in Fiji

World population in urban areas is increasing.  UN estimates suggest that, for the first time in human history, 50% of the world's population is urban-living.  This is expected to reach 60% by 2030, with major urban increases occurring in developing regions.  Much of the increase in urban population size is due to internal migration from surrounding rural areas.  Rural-urban migration is part of a larger process of development associated with the transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy.  This transition affects many aspects of parental investment. 

This project began with an investigation of how the process of internal migration affects parental investments in nutrition and education among Indo-Fijians.  The project seeks to understand how urban environments alter diet and lead to childhood obesity and how employment opportunities impact parent and offspring work and education patterns. 

Future research will seek to understand how parental investments vary in urban and rural areas of Fiji among indigenous Fijians and how social organization and cultural norms impact nutrition and education between Fijians and Indo-Fijians.

Fast Food Foraging

High rates of overweight and obesity have been associated with low income neighborhoods that lack adequate healthy food options.  This project examines the impact of food environments on dietary choices, risk behaviors, and BMI in South LA County.

Co-Principal Investigator: Deborah Schechter

Indo-Fijian school girls
Nasarowaqa, Fiji September 2003

Fijian School Children

Waya, Fiji December 2004

'Welcome' Sign

Suva, Fiji

January 2005