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Late 19th, early 20th century US, foreign-born body mass index values in the United States

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  • Carson, Scott Alan

Abstract

Little work exists that compares the BMIs of 19th century foreign-born and US-born natives. Russian, Italian, German, and French BMIs were 5.1, 3.9, 2.9, and 1.8 percent higher than that of North Americans; Asians were nearly 4.2 percent lower. African-Americans and multiracial/multiethnic individual BMIs were 4.9 and 3.8 percent greater than fairer complexioned whites, indicating there was no multiracial/multiethnic BMI advantage. Farm laborers and ranchers had BMIs that were 2.9 percent and 2.2 percent greater, respectively, than that of workers with no occupations.

Suggested Citation

  • Carson, Scott Alan, 2019. "Late 19th, early 20th century US, foreign-born body mass index values in the United States," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 26-38.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:34:y:2019:i:c:p:26-38
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2019.02.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Biological Differences between Late 19th and Early 20th Century Urban and Rural Residence," CESifo Working Paper Series 8523, CESifo.
    2. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Body Mass, Nutrition, and Disease: Current Net Nutrition during US Economic Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 8464, CESifo.
    3. Scott A. Carson, 2021. "Nineteenth Century Body Mass, Height, and Weight: Inequality across Quantiles," CESifo Working Paper Series 9135, CESifo.
    4. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Nineteenth through early 20th Century Female and Male Statures within the Household," CESifo Working Paper Series 8616, CESifo.
    5. Scott Alan Carson & Scott A. Carson, 2023. "Late 19th and Early 20th Century Urban Net Nutrition by Gender and Race," CESifo Working Paper Series 10703, CESifo.
    6. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Female and Male Body Mass, Height, and Weight during US Economic Development: 1860s-1930s," CESifo Working Paper Series 8447, CESifo.
    7. Scott A. Carson, 2019. "Body weight and United States economic development, 1840-1940," CESifo Working Paper Series 7573, CESifo.
    8. Scott Alan Carson, 2022. "Body mass, nutrition, and disease: nineteenth century current net nutrition during economic development," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 37-65, April.
    9. Scott A. Carson, 2021. "Omitting the Obvious: Cohort Effects in 19th and 20th Century BMI Variation," CESifo Working Paper Series 8817, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Nineteenth century US health; Immigrant health; BMI; Malnourishment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J70 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - 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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