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Joel Vargas Domínguez
Objetivo: este artículo analiza cómo se conformó la investigación sobre el metabolismo basal a principios del siglo XX, realizada en Jamaica y Yucatán y auspiciada por la Carnegie Institution de Washington (CIW). Se quiere mostrar que esta investigación fisiológica, que se llevó a cabo en espacios externos a los laboratorios tradicionales, articuló e incorporó nociones eugenésicas y racializadas sobre los cuerpos estudiados. Desarrollo: con las herramientas de la historia de la ciencia, se analizaron las publicaciones, los informes y la correspondencia de los miembros de las expediciones de la Carnegie Institution. Conclusiones: se muestra que el metabolismo basal normal fue un parámetro que se construyó y usó con una fuerte carga eugenésica de distinción racial en las primeras décadas del siglo XX. Los investigadores Francis G. Benedict, Charles B. Davenport y Morris Steggerda de la CIW lideraron estos estudios no solo médicos, sino también de corte antropológico, para responder a la pregunta acerca de si había efectos raciales y ambientales sobre el metabolismo del cuerpo de los sujetos de estudio. Los resultados de estas investigaciones se incorporaron a las fórmulas para evaluar el estado nutricional de las poblaciones, lo que puede tener repercusiones actuales en la forma de entender la “normalidad” metabólica.

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