ABSTRACT
Low energy availability caused by inadequate caloric intake and high energy expenditure is a common feature of life of women from many tra ditional populations (Adams 1995; Benefice et al. 1996; Lawrence and Whitehead 1988; Panter-Brick 1993; Roberts et al. 1982). Moreover, i t is likely that similar energetic stresses have been present throughout the course of human evolution (Leonard and Robertson 1997). Therefore, one may expect women to have evolved adaptive mechanisms which wou ld allow them to cope w i t h l imited energy availability while promoting higher lifetime reproductive success. One such mechanism might be sup pression of reproductive function during times when environmental con ditions are poor and energy availability is low.
