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Mexican and Hispanic Net Nutrition in the 19th Century American West

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  • Scott A. Carson

Abstract

When traditional methods for measuring economic welfare are scarce or unreliable, heights and BMIs are now well accepted measurements that represent biological conditions during economic development. Weight, after controlling for height, is an alternative measure to BMI for current net nutrition. Little is known about how weights varied among Mexicans living in the 19th century American West. Between 1870 and 1920, average Mexican weight decreased slightly. Mexican farmers had the heaviest weights, and unskilled worker weights were low. For combined characteristics, weight varied the most with height and age, two uncontrollable characteristics, indicating that 19th century Mexican current net nutrition varied the most with factors over which individuals of Mexican descent had no control.

Suggested Citation

  • Scott A. Carson, 2015. "Mexican and Hispanic Net Nutrition in the 19th Century American West," CESifo Working Paper Series 5571, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_5571
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    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp5571.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Komlos, John, 1987. "The Height and Weight of West Point Cadets: Dietary Change in Antebellum America," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(4), pages 897-927, December.
    3. Fogel, Robert W, 1994. "Economic Growth, Population Theory, and Physiology: The Bearing of Long-Term Processes on the Making of Economic Policy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(3), pages 369-395, June.
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    5. Edward E. Leamer, 2010. "Tantalus on the Road to Asymptopia," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 24(2), pages 31-46, Spring.
    6. Scott Alan Carson, 2005. "Chinese Sojourn Labor and the American Transcontinental Railroad," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 161(1), pages 80-102, March.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    anthropometrics; nineteenth century US weights; net nutrition; health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N00 - Economic History - - General - - - General
    • N31 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - U.S.; Canada: Pre-1913

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