Assessing food transition in Brazil with C and N isotopes

The main objective of this dataset is to use on investigating diet patterns among rural and urban populations of the Center-West, Northeast, and Amazon regions of Brazil through the carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of fingernails. Fingernails were sampled in clusters encompassing a major city, town, and rural village. A total of 1952 fingernails were analyzed. Fingernails were clipped by donors using fingernail clippers. In the laboratory, samples were cleaned then weighed in small tin capsules before being isotopically analyzed for carbon and nitrogen. The overall mean d13C and d15N were -19.7±2.8‰ and 10.6±1.1‰, respectively. The present dataset might have many applications using bulk isotope interpretations despite the new methodologies (relied on both specific food items but also on specific tissue monomers), such as on human nutrition studies but especially in tracking human movements in forensic anthropology studies in the contemporary world. In this context, our dataset could be a good baseline for such studies in the Neotropics.