In this essay, I review Robert Fogel's The Escape from Hunger and Premature Death, 1700-2100 which is concerned with the past, present, and future of human health. Fogel's work places great emphasis on nutrition, not only for the history of health, but for explaining aspects of current health, not only in comparing poor and rich countries, but in thinking about rich countries now and in the future. I discuss Fogel's analysis alongside alternative interpretations that place greater emphasis on the historical role of public health, and on the current and future role of improvements in medical technology.
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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number
11308.
Length: Date of creation: May 2005 Date of revision: Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:11308
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Find related papers by JEL classification: I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Income, and Wealth
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