Postfamine stature and socioeconomic status in Ireland.
Previous research has documented socioeconomic stratification of secular trend in height in historical populations. Using data from 4,900 males and 1,430 females born between 1840 and 1910 collected as part of the Harvard Anthropological Survey of Ireland (1934-1936), this study examined the secular changes in postfamine Ireland using several socioeconomic variables, including: occupation, migration, education, siblings, birthplace, and occupation of father and mother's father. Correlations were also calculated between height and various historical economic indices. Significant differences in the height of Irish males were found by occupation, education, and socioeconomic status of father and maternal grandfather. Males employed in agriculture, or whose fathers or grandfathers were so employed, were significantly taller than other males. For the smaller female sample, only occupation and grandfather's socioeconomic status had a significant impact on height. An inverse correlation was also found between the British Cost of Living Index (BCL) and male heights. Our results suggest that availability of resources plays an important role in the overall nutritional status reflected in terminal adult height.
Young
Kristin
K
Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA. kjmel@ku.edu
Relethford
John H
JH
Crawford
Michael H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013217:Starvation; D055815:Young Adult