Consanguinity and its trend in a Mendelian population of Andhra Pradesh, India
Chandrasekar, A.; Jayraj, J.S.; Rao, P.S.
Social Biology 40(3-4): 244-247
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-766X PMID: 8178192 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.1993.9988850Document Number: 333078
Consanguineous marriages change gene frequencies. The highest values for this type of marriage in India have been reported from the southern regions, especially from the state of Andhra Pradesh. The authors examine the frequency of consanguineous marriages and their changes through time in a Mendelian population, the Kamma of Andhra Pradesh. The Kamma is a forward caste whose traditional occupation is agriculture. It is one of the dominant groups in Andhra Pradesh in all socioeconomic factors and belongs to Dravidian stock. The Kamma are strictly endogamous and widow marriage is not allowed among them. Study findings are based upon data collected from 400 couples in seven villages spread over three taluks or revenue mandals of the Chittoor District. A family pedigree was drawn for each marriage to determine the type of consanguinity involved, with the year of marriage noted to determine the trend of consanguinity. Armitage's test determined the linear trend of consanguinity. Consanguineous marriages were found to have decreased significantly among the Kamma over the past forty years. The decline in uncle-niece marriages has helped fuel this trend and may be due to the shift from agriculture to other occupations such as government service and the rapid growth of industrialization. The tendency toward a lower consanguinity rate more recently has been strengthened by a reduction in the number of children per marriage which reduces the number of eligible cousins. Marriages beyond first cousin have remained more or less constant.