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Height and Economic Development in Italy, 1730–1980

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Abstract

In this paper I review evidence on the long-run relation between height and economic development in Italy. I ask three questions: What are the long-run trends of mean height and real incomes in Italy? What do we know about height dispersion? What other aspects of the distribution of height changed with economic development?

Suggested Citation

  • Franco Peracchi, 2008. "Height and Economic Development in Italy, 1730–1980," CEIS Research Paper 108, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 10 Jul 2008.
    • Handle: RePEc:rtv:ceisrp:108
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:pri:cheawb:deaton_bozzoli_child_mortality_income_height_march_07_complete_with_abstract is not listed on IDEAS
    2. 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.
    3. Arcaleni, Emilia, 2006. "Secular trend and regional differences in the stature of Italians, 1854-1980," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 24-38, January.
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    5. Federico, Giovanni, 2003. "Heights, calories and welfare: a new perspective on Italian industrialization, 1854-1913," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 289-308, December.
    6. Carlos Bozzoli & Angus Deaton & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2007. "Child mortality, income and adult height," Working Papers 230, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
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    8. A'Hearn, Brian, 2003. "Anthropometric Evidence on Living Standards in Northern Italy, 1730–1860," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 63(2), pages 351-381, June.
    9. Brian A?Hearn & Franco Peracchi & Giovanni Vecchi, 2007. "Living standards and the distribution of heights: Italy, 1855-1910," Working Papers 229, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
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    11. repec:pri:cheawb:peracchi_franco_draft12_rev2 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. repec:pri:rpdevs:deaton_bozzoli_child_mortality_income_height_march_07_complete_with_abstract is not listed on IDEAS
    13. repec:pri:cheawb:deaton_bozzoli_child_mortality_income_height_march_07_complete_with_abstr is not listed on IDEAS
    14. repec:pri:rpdevs:https://rpds.princeton.edu/sites/rpds/files/media/deaton_bozzoli_child_mo is not listed on IDEAS
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    16. Richard H. Steckel, 1995. "Stature and the Standard of Living," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 33(4), pages 1903-1940, December.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Foldvari, Peter & van Leeuwen, Bas & Marks, Daan & Gall, Jozsef, 2013. "Indonesian regional welfare development, 1900–1990: New anthropometric evidence," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 78-89.
    3. Adolfo Meisel-Roca & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Daniela Santos-Cárdenas, 2018. "Socioeconomic Determinants and Spatial Convergence of Biological Well-being: The Case of Physical Stature in Colombia, 1920-1990," Borradores de Economia 1053, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    4. Maria-Dolores, Ramon & Martínez Carrion, José Miguel, 2012. "The comovement between height and some economic development indicators in Spain," UMUFAE Economics Working Papers 26464, DIGITUM. Universidad de Murcia.
    5. Joan Costa-i-Font & Lucia Kossarova, 2014. "Anthropometric Dividends of Czechoslovakia's Break Up," CESifo Working Paper Series 5081, CESifo.
    6. Michele Belloni & Rob Alessie & Adriaan Kalwij & Chiara Marinacci, 2013. "Lifetime income and old age mortality risk in Italy over two decades," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 29(45), pages 1261-1298.
    7. Damian Clarke & Manuel Llorca Jaña & Daniel Pailañir, 2023. "The use of quantile methods in economic history," Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(2), pages 115-132, April.
    8. Costa-Font, Joan & Kossarova, Lucia, 2014. "Anthropometric dividends of Czechoslovakia’s break up," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 60719, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Luca Pieroni & Donatella Lanari & Andrea Crippa, 2025. "Convergence in the biological standard of living: further explorations on two Italian birth cohorts, 1951–1980," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 19(3), pages 709-749, September.
    10. María-Dolores, Ramón & Martínez-Carrión, José Miguel, 2011. "The relationship between height and economic development in Spain, 1850-1958," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 30-44, January.
    11. Destefanis, Sergio, 2012. "Alcune considerazioni sul mercato del lavoro italiano alla luce della ricostruzione delle serie storiche territoriali per il mercato del lavoro, 1861-2011 [Some Considerations on the Italian Labour Market in the Light of the Reconstruction of Terr," MPRA Paper 59611, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Irene Barbiera & Gianpiero Dalla‐Zuanna, 2024. "Demographic Systems of Medieval Italy (6th–15th century AD)," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 50(2), pages 541-570, June.
    13. Malanima, Paolo, 2025. "Before modern growth. Italy’s GDP 1660-1913," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 147-162.
    14. Steckel, Richard H., 2009. "Heights and human welfare: Recent developments and new directions," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 1-23, January.

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    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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