Height, Wealth, and Longevity in 19th century East Belgium

peer reviewed ; Epidemiologists and demographers have long suspected that childhood experiences affect mortality at later ages, but it has been very difficult to separate the persistent effects of early life conditions from other determinants of health. Individuals raised in poor families are more likely to be economically deprived in adulthood, and poor health can cause lower socio-economic achievement. We use life histories from a 19th century community to identify the long-term effects of deprivation in childhood. Heights derived from military conscription examinations provide a summary mea... Mehr ...