Demographic, Residential, and Socioeconomic Effects on the Distribution of 19th Century White Body Mass Index Values

24 Pages Posted: 29 Mar 2011

See all articles by Scott Alan Carson

Scott Alan Carson

University of Texas of the Permian Basin; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Date Written: March 24, 2011

Abstract

Little research exists on the body mass index values of 19th century Americans of European descent. Using a new BMI data set and robust statistics, between 1860 and 1880, BMIs decreased across the distribution; however, after 1880, BMIs in the highest quantiles increased, while those in lower BMI quantiles continued to decrease. Late 19th and early 20th century white BMIs increased at older ages in higher quantiles and decreased in lower quantiles, indicating significant net biological disparity by age. During industrialization, white BMIs were lower in Kentucky, Missouri, and urban Philadelphia.

Keywords: body mass index, 19th century race relations

JEL Classification: I100

Suggested Citation

Carson, Scott Alan, Demographic, Residential, and Socioeconomic Effects on the Distribution of 19th Century White Body Mass Index Values (March 24, 2011). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 3383, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1793723 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1793723

Scott Alan Carson (Contact Author)

University of Texas of the Permian Basin ( email )

4901 East University
Odessa, TX 79762
United States

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
40
Abstract Views
435
PlumX Metrics