IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ahe/invest/v19y2023i02p124-139.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Gender height dimorphism: An approximation of the living Standards in Colombia, 1920-1990

Author

Listed:
  • Adolfo Meisel-Roca

    (Universidad del Norte)

  • María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo

    (Banco de la República)

  • Daniel Lasso-Jaramillo

    (Universidad de los Andes)

Abstract

Este artículo analiza la evolución y los determinantes socioeconómicos del dimorfismo en estatura para aproximarse al nivel de vida de los colombianos durante el siglo XX. Utilizando regresiones cuantílicas, se verifica la hipótesis de eco-sensibilidad. En condiciones socioeconómicas adversas, los hombres más altos son más penalizados, y en tiempos buenas, crecen más. Además, las mujeres más altas aprovechan mejor las buenas condiciones económicas. Se encuentra una tendencia creciente en el dimorfismo y entre los cuantiles de estatura. Entre 1920 y 1990, el dimorfismo absoluto aumentó de 9,9 a 11,8 centímetros en el cuantil 10 y de 10,84 a 12,2 centímetros en el cuantil 90. Finalmente, durante el siglo XX, Colombia ha mejorado las condiciones de vida, reflejado en el aumento de la estatura de hombres y mujeres. El nivel socioeconómico de los individuos explica el bienestar biológico y la estatura adulta final. KEY Classification-JEL: I10; I15; N36

Suggested Citation

  • Adolfo Meisel-Roca & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Daniel Lasso-Jaramillo, 2023. "Gender height dimorphism: An approximation of the living Standards in Colombia, 1920-1990," Investigaciones de Historia Económica - Economic History Research (IHE-EHR), Journal of the Spanish Economic History Association, Asociación Española de Historia Económica, vol. 19(02), pages 124-139.
    • Handle: RePEc:ahe:invest:v:19:y:2023:i:02:p:124-139
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.33231/j.ihe.2023.03.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/IHE/article/view/100417/73128
    Download Restriction: This is an Open Access journal
    File URL: https://libkey.io/https://doi.org/10.33231/j.ihe.2023.03.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Angus Deaton, 2008. "Height, Health, and Inequality: The Distribution of Adult Heights in India," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(2), pages 468-474, May.
    2. Costa-Font, Joan & Gil, Joan, 2008. "Generational effects and gender height dimorphism in contemporary Spain," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Acosta, Karina & Meisel, Adolfo, 2013. "Anthropometric measurements by ethnicity in Colombia, 1965–1990," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 416-425.
    4. Komlos, John & Kelly, Inas (ed.), 2016. "The Oxford Handbook of Economics and Human Biology," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199389292.
    5. Machado, José A.F. & Santos Silva, J.M.C., 2019. "Quantiles via moments," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 213(1), pages 145-173.
    6. Ana María Iregui-Bohórquez & Ligia Alba Melo-Becerra & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Ana María Trib (ed.), 2021. "El camino hacia la igualdad de género en Colombia: todavía hay mucho por hacer," Books, Banco de la Republica de Colombia, number 2021-isbn:9789586644297, December.
    7. Andreas Schick & Richard H. Steckel, 2010. "Height as a Proxy for Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Ability," NBER Working Papers 16570, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Roderick Floud & Robert W. Fogel & Bernard Harris & Sok Chul Hong (ed.), 2014. "Health, Mortality and the Standard of Living in Europe and North America since 1700," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, volume 0, number 14357.
    9. Jo Blanden, 2004. "Family Income and Educational Attainment: A Review of Approaches and Evidence for Britain," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 20(2), pages 245-263, Summer.
    10. Ewout Depauw & Deborah Oxley, 2019. "Toddlers, teenagers, and terminal heights: the importance of puberty for male adult stature, Flanders, 1800–76," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 72(3), pages 925-952, August.
    11. repec:pri:rpdevs:deaton_height_health_and_inequality_the_distribution_of_adult_heights_in_ is not listed on IDEAS
    12. repec:pri:rpdevs:deaton_height_health_inequality_revised_ack_jan08.pdf is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Jansen, Erica C. & Herrán, Oscar F. & Villamor, Eduardo, 2015. "Trends and correlates of age at menarche in Colombia: Results from a nationally representative survey," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 19(C), pages 138-144.
    14. Fogel, Robert W. & Grotte, Nathaniel, 2011. "Major Findings from The Changing Body: Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World since 1700," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 1-9.
    15. John Komlos, "undated". "On the Biological Standard of Living of Eighteenth-Century Americans: Taller, Richer, Healthier," Articles by John Komlos 3, Department of Economics, University of Munich.
    16. Areendam Chanda & Lee A. Craig & Julianne Treme, 2008. "Convergence (and divergence) in the biological standard of living in the USA, 1820–1900," Cliometrica, Journal of Historical Economics and Econometric History, Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), vol. 2(1), pages 19-48, April.
    17. Meisel, Adolfo & Vega, Margarita, 2007. "The biological standard of living (and its convergence) in Colombia, 1870-2003: A tropical success story," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 100-122, March.
    18. Blum, Matthias, 2014. "Estimating male and female height inequality," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 14(C), pages 103-108.
    19. Bassino, Jean-Pascal, 2006. "Inequality in Japan (1892-1941): Physical stature, income, and health," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 62-88, January.
    20. Meisel-Roca, Adolfo & Ramírez-Giraldo, María Teresa & Santos-Cárdenas, Daniela, 2019. "Socio-Economic Determinants And Spatial Convergence Of Biological Well-Being: The Case Of Colombia, 1920–1990," Revista de Historia Económica / Journal of Iberian and Latin American Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(2), pages 297-338, September.
    21. Baten, Jorg & Murray, John E., 2000. "Heights of Men and Women in 19th-Century Bavaria: Economic, Nutritional, and Disease Influences," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 351-369, October.
    22. Roderick Floud & Robert W. Fogel & Bernard Harris & Sok Chul Hong, 2011. "The Changing Body: Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World since 1700," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number foge10-1.
    23. María del Pilar López-Uribe & Diana Quintero Castellanos & Loly Aylú Gaitán Guerrero, 2011. "Mujeres en ascenso: dinámica del sistema educativo y del mercado laboral en Colombia, 1900-2000," Documentos CEDE 8750, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    24. Kenneth Y. Chay & Bo E. Honoré, 1998. "Estimation of Semiparametric Censored Regression Models: An Application to Changes in Black-White Earnings Inequality during the 1960s," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 33(1), pages 4-38.
    25. Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri & Adolfo Meisel-Roca & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2019. "More than 100 years of improvements in living standards: the case of Colombia," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 13(3), pages 323-366, September.
    26. Robert W. Fogel & Nathaniel Grotte, 2011. "An Overview of The Changing Body: Health, Nutrition, and Human Development in the Western World Since 1700," NBER Working Papers 16938, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meisel-Roca, Adolfo & Ramírez-Giraldo, María Teresa & Santos-Cárdenas, Daniela, 2019. "Long run relationship between biological well being, and economic development in Colombia," Working papers 24, Red Investigadores de Economía.
    2. Galofré-Vilà, Gregori, 2018. "Growth and maturity: A quantitative systematic review and network analysis in anthropometric history," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 107-118.
    3. Scott A. Carson, 2019. "Body weight and United States economic development, 1840-1940," CESifo Working Paper Series 7573, CESifo.
    4. Santiago-Caballero, Carlos, 2021. "The gender gap in the biological living standard in Spain. A study based on the heights of an elite migration to Mexico, 1840-1930," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    5. 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.
    6. Francisco J. Marco-Gracia & Javier Puche, 2020. "Did taller people live longer? Influence of height on life span in rural Spain, 1835-2019," Working Papers 0201, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    7. Scott A. Carson, 2017. "Assessing Cumulative Net Nutrition and the Transition from 19th Century Bound to Free-Labor by Ethnic Status," CESifo Working Paper Series 6813, CESifo.
    8. Ewout Depauw & Deborah Oxley, 2017. "Toddlers, teenagers & terminal heights: The determinants of adult male stature Flanders 1800-76," Oxford Economic and Social History Working Papers _157, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
    9. Marco-Gracia, Francisco J. & Puche, Javier, 2021. "The association between male height and lifespan in rural Spain, birth cohorts 1835-1939," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    10. Scott Alan Carson, 2020. "Net nutrition, insolation, mortality, and the antebellum paradox," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 77-98, July.
    11. Blum, Matthias & McLaughlin, Eoin, 2019. "Living standards and inequality in the industrial revolution: Evidence from the height of University of Edinburgh students in the 1830s," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 185-192.
    12. Bernard Harris, 2021. "Anthropometric history and the measurement of wellbeing," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 19(1), pages 91-123.
    13. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Female and Male Body Mass, Height, and Weight during US Economic Development: 1860s-1930s," CESifo Working Paper Series 8447, CESifo.
    14. José Joaquín García-Gómez & Antonio Escudero Gutierrez, 2018. "The Standard of Living of the Workers in a Spanish Industrial Town: Wages, Nutrition, Life Expentancy and Heigth in Alcoy (1870–1930)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 140(1), pages 347-367, November.
    15. Ayuda, María-Isabel & Puche-Gil, Javier, 2014. "Determinants of height and biological inequality in Mediterranean Spain, 1859–1967," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 101-119.
    16. Scott A. Carson, 2020. "Nineteenth through early 20th Century Female and Male Statures within the Household," CESifo Working Paper Series 8616, CESifo.
    17. Komlos, John & A’Hearn, Brian, 2017. "Hidden negative aspects of industrialization at the onset of modern economic growth in the U.S," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 43-52.
    18. Komlos, John, 2019. "Shrinking in a growing economy is not so puzzling after all," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 40-55.
    19. Brian A'Hearn & John Komlos, 2015. "The Decline in the Nutritional Status of the U.S. Antebellum Population at the Onset of Modern Economic Growth," CESifo Working Paper Series 5691, CESifo.
    20. Koepke, Nikola & Floris, Joël & Pfister, Christian & Rühli, Frank J. & Staub, Kaspar, 2018. "Ladies first: Female and male adult height in Switzerland, 1770–1930," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 76-87.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dimorfismo; Estatura; Regresión por cuantiles; Niveles de vida;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ahe:invest:v:19:y:2023:i:02:p:124-139. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Elena Garcia Cruz (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aeheeea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.