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Differences in body mass indices for males imprisoned in the 19th century American South

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  • Scott Carson

Abstract

A limited but increasing amount of research is being done on historical body mass index values. This paper uses 19th century Tennessee State Penitentiary records to demonstrate that Southern BMI values were in the normal range. There is little evidence of a Southern mulatto BMI advantage. Farmer BMIs were consistently heavier than non-farmers. Southern black BMIs remained constant throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries; however, white BMIs declined during the early 20th century. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Scott Carson, 2013. "Differences in body mass indices for males imprisoned in the 19th century American South," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbioec:v:15:y:2013:i:1:p:1-16
    DOI: 10.1007/s10818-011-9126-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Ramon Ramon-Muñoz & Josep-Maria Ramon-Muñoz, 2015. "Height and Industrialisation in a City in Catalonia during the Nineteenth Century," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2015/334, University of Barcelona School of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    19th century Southern health; BMI; Malnourishment; Obesity; I12; I31; J19; J70; N31;
    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
    • J19 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Other
    • 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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