Health, attractiveness, and marriageability among Aka hunter-gatherer and Ngandu farmer adolescents and young adults in the Central African Republic

This study investigates how adolescents from two culturally distinct Central African communities—the Aka hunter-gatherers and Ngandu farmers—perceive health, attractiveness, and marriageability, focusing on how local socio-ecological contexts shape perceptions of health, attraction, and mate preferences. The research examines how body mass index and parasite load relate to perceived health and attractiveness. Seventy-five adolescents (39 Aka and 36 Ngandu) evaluated photographs of peers for health, attractiveness, and marriagability, while physical health was objectively measured using anthropometric and parasitological data. Regression analyses revealed that BMI was a consistent and significant predictor of both perceived health and attractiveness, whereas total parasite load did not significantly influence either outcome. Notably, perceptions of health strongly predicted attractiveness and marriageability, but not vice versa. Ethnic and gender differences in perception were also found..., , # Dryad dataset

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.r4xgxd2r9](10.5061/dryad.r4xgxd2r9)

## Description of the data and file structure

This study employed a mixed-methods design to explore perceptions of health, attractiveness, and marriageability among Aka hunter-gatherer and Ngandu farmer adolescents in the Central African Republic. A sample of 75 participants completed pile-sorting tasks involving photographs of same- and opposite-sex peers, categorizing them by perceived health, attractiveness, and marriageability. These evaluations were supplemented by open-ended interviews, free-listing exercises, and anthropometric measures, including BMI and body fat percentage. Parasitological data were collected via stool samples and analyzed for prevalence of 13 intestinal parasites. The goal was to examine the relative influence of physical health indicators—particularly BMI and parasite load—on local mate preferences across distinct cultural contexts.

### Files and variables

#### **Key to:** He..., Due to the sensitive nature of the research, strict protocols were implemented. Participation was voluntary, with participants informed of the study's aims, procedures, and risks before giving consent, including parental consent for minors. Participants could skip questions or withdraw at any time without consequences. To ensure confidentiality, all data were anonymized, and no identifiable information was included. Ethical approval was obtained from local and institutional review boards, adhering to international research guidelines.