Demographic, Residential, and Socioeconomic Effects on the Distribution of 19th Century US White Statures

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Demographic, Residential, and Socioeconomic Effects on the Distribution of 19th Century US White Statures

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Scott A. Carson ()

Abstract

Using a source of 19th century US state prison records, this study addresses European-American stature variation. The most commonly cited sources for stature variation are diets, disease, and work effort. However, vitamin D is also vital in human statures and health. This paper demonstrates that 19th century white statures were positively associated with direct sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in mammals. Stature and insolation are associated with occupations, and workers who spent more time outdoors produced more vitamin D and grew taller. White statures also decreased throughout the 19th century, and this stature diminution is observed across the stature distribution.

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Paper provided by CESifo Group Munich in its series CESifo Working Paper Series with number CESifo Working Paper No. 2563.

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Date of creation: 2009
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Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2563

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - General
I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - General Welfare
J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General
J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination

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