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Long-term consequences of early-life exposure to Famine: Evidence from the 1943 Bengal Famine

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  • Mukhopadhyay, Sankar

Abstract

While a large literature has examined the consequences of many major famines of the 20th century, almost nothing is known about the long-run health effects of the 1943 Bengal famine, which resulted in the death of an estimated three million people in Bengal. During the 1943 Bengal famine, while food was available in the rest of India, millions of people died in Bengal of starvation, primarily due to wartime policy restrictions by the British government.

Suggested Citation

  • Mukhopadhyay, Sankar, 2026. "Long-term consequences of early-life exposure to Famine: Evidence from the 1943 Bengal Famine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 392(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:392:y:2026:i:c:s0277953625012419
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118910
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    References listed on IDEAS

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