Stature, Living Standards, and Economic Development: Essays in Anthropometric HistoryJohn Komlos What can body measurements tell us about living standards in the past? In this collection of essays studying height and weight data from eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Europe, North America, and Asia, fourteen distinguished scholars explore the relation between physical size, economic development, and standard of living among various socioeconomic groups. Analyzing the differences in physical stature by social group, gender, age, provenance, and date and place of birth, these essays illuminate urban and rural differences in well-being, explore the effects of market integration on previously agricultural societies, contrast the experiences of several segments of society, and explain the proximate causes of downturns and upswings in well-being. Particularly intriguing is the researchers' conclusion that the environment of the New World during this period was far more propitious than that of Europe, based on data showing that European aristocrats were in worse health than even the poorest members of American society. |
Contents
3 | 30 |
4 | 45 |
5 | 61 |
The Height of Runaway Slaves in Colonial America | 93 |
Evidence | 117 |
How Severe was the Great Depression? Evidence from | 129 |
Heights and Health in the United States 17101950 | 153 |
Common terms and phrases
adult height Africa agricultural Allegheny County American Slaves analysis anthropometric history areas average height biological born Britain British Cambridge capita income centiles changes cm taller decades decline disease Duke Street prison early Economic Development economic growth Economic History eighteenth century Engerman England estimates European evidence females Floud Fogel genetic Glasgow Gráda groups Habsburg Monarchy Health and History heights of 5-year-old heights of children Huerta Human Growth human height inches increased indicates Industrial Ireland Irish Japan Japanese John Komlos Komlos laborers living standards Margo and Steckel mean height measures modern Murcia nineteenth century nomic Nutrition and Economic nutritional status occupations pattern percent period physical stature Pittsburgh population prefectures real wages recruits region Rhondda Rikugunsho Robert Fogel rural Saitama sample Scotland shaku shorter social socioeconomic sources standard of living statistics tallest Tanner tion Tottori trends Trussell unemployment Univ urban Wachter Wieringen workers Yamanashi