A regional investigation of subadult dietary patterns and health in late Iron Age and Roman Dorset, England

This is the first regional analysis of the impact of Romanisation on subadult dietary patterns and related health parameters in Britain. A sample of 200 subadults from late Iron Age (LIA) and Romano-British (RB) Dorset were examined for dental health and specific metabolic diseases, and a sub-sample of 29 individuals were selected for nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis. The results showed that dental health declined in the Romano-British period and the incidence of scurvy and rickets rose. Increased consumption of marine foods in the RB period is indicated by an increase in δ13C between the LIA and RB subadults. After early childhood, there was no age-dependent variation in dietary protein in the RB and LIA populations from Dorset. We propose that these changes related to the introduction of urban living, Romanised diets and population migration.

► We analysed Late Iron Age and Romano-British sub-adult burials from Dorset, England.
► Dental health declined and metabolic disease increased from the LIA to RB.
► Carbon and nitrogen isotopes showed increased consumption of marine foods in the RB.
► After weaning, we found no variation in dietary protein sources with age.
► We suggest that urban living, Roman diets and migration caused the changes.