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The impact of World War II on nutrition and children’s health in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Vittorio Daniele

    (Università Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Dipartimento di Scienze Giuridiche, Storiche, Economiche e Sociali, Campus S. Venuta, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy)

  • Renato Ghezzi

    (Università Magna Graecia di Catanzaro, Dipartimento di Scienze Giuridiche, Storiche, Economiche e Sociali, Campus S. Venuta, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy)

Abstract

The impact of World War II on the nutrition and health of Italian children is examined. During the Second World War (1939–1945), both per capita GDP and consumption collapsed in Italy. Infant mortality increased. The anthropometric measurements of a sample of schoolchildren show a loss in weight and height in comparison with the pre-war years. Measurements of conscripts born during the conflict show an interruption in the secular increase in height, with a decrease in the mean height of conscripts born in 1945. The adverse impact of the war on height, particularly affected the northern regions, and appears to be related to the ‘geography of conflict’ in Italy. KEY Classification-JEL: I10. N44

Suggested Citation

  • Vittorio Daniele & Renato Ghezzi, 2019. "The impact of World War II on nutrition and children’s health in Italy," Investigaciones de Historia Económica - Economic History Research (IHE-EHR), Journal of the Spanish Economic History Association, Asociación Española de Historia Económica, vol. 15(02), pages 119-131.
    • Handle: RePEc:ahe:invest:v:15:y:2019:i:02:p:119-131
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    Cited by:

    1. Adamopoulou, Effrosyni & Olivieri, Elisabetta & Triviza, Eleftheria, 2024. "Eating habits, food consumption, and health: The role of early life experiences," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Effrosyni Adamopoulou & Mattia Colombo & Eleftheria Triviza, 2024. "Early Life Conditions, Time Preferences, and Savings," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2024_583, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Italia. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Racionamiento. Antropometría;

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • N44 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Europe: 1913-

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