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Height in twentieth-century Chilean men: growth with divergence

Author

Listed:
  • Manuel Llorca-Jaña

    (Universidad de Valparaiso)

  • Juan Navarrete-Montalvo

    (Universidad de Valparaiso)

  • Roberto Araya-Valenzuela

    (Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez)

  • Federico Droller

    (Universidad de Santiago de Chile)

  • Martina Allende

    (Universidad de Valparaiso)

  • Javier Rivas

    (Universidad de Valparaiso)

Abstract

This article provides the first series of Chilean adult male height for the whole of the twentieth century. The height of adult males increased by about 5.5 cm during the twentieth century, primarily during the second half of this period. This is the greatest improvement in biological welfare in Chilean history; Chilean males have never been as tall as they are today. Using a sample of around 36,371 individuals, we document the evolution of the average height of Chilean soldiers (male) born from the 1900s to the 1990s. This sample can be safely taken as a good proxy of the average height of Chilean male population for the period under study. We provide an explanation of both the main determinants of physical stature and the rapid increase in height in Chile over this period.

Suggested Citation

  • Manuel Llorca-Jaña & Juan Navarrete-Montalvo & Roberto Araya-Valenzuela & Federico Droller & Martina Allende & Javier Rivas, 2021. "Height in twentieth-century Chilean men: growth with divergence," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 15(1), pages 135-166, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:cliomt:v:15:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s11698-020-00205-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11698-020-00205-2
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    Cited by:

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    3. Manuel Llorca-Jaña & Diego Barría Traverso & Diego del Barrio Vásquez & Javier Rivas, 2021. "Malnutrition Rates in Chile from the Nitrate Era to the 1990s," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-17, December.
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    5. Fourie, Johan & Inwood, Kris & Mariotti, Martine, 2022. "Living standards in settler South Africa, 1865–1920," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    6. Javier Núñez & Graciela Pérez, 2021. "The Escape from Malnutrition of Chilean Boys and Girls: Height-for-Age Z Scores in Late XIX and XX Centuries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-20, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Height; Chile; Living conditions; Twentieth century;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior

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