Long-Term Trends in Height in Rural Eastern Andalusia (1750-1950)
Cámara, Antonio D. (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics)

Date: 2009
Abstract: Over the last decade historical anthropometric studies have shed some light onto the changes in biological well-being experienced between 1850 and 1950, both in a number of Spanish regions and in some areas of Latin America. However, the anthropometric scenario remains uncertain from 1750 to 1850, a period traditionally regarded as the transition from the Ancient Regime to modern society in Spain. This essay, through new and straightforward methodological developments, aims to ascertain biological standards of living in this period by presenting some data on male's height from two rural communities of Eastern Andalusia. Anthropometric data (obtained from military recruitment rounds) are supplemented with some information on population and resources from a variety of documentary sources. Trend analysis focuses on demographic growth and institutional shifts, as they often conditioned the peasant diet in the context of an agrarian society. The interpretation of results refers mainly to the period 1750-1900 so as to avoid comparisons with later periods in which Spanish rural society had already experienced important changes towards an industrial economy. Likewise, the study focuses on socioeconomic variables, omitting epidemiological context, which has already been analyzed in previous work (Cámara, 2007:286-301). Finally, only major long-term trends in height are discussed, though both short-term trends and annual series are deserving of attention in future studies.
Grants: Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia SEJ2007-67613
Rights: Tots els drets reservats.
Language: Anglès
Document: Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject: Anthropometric ; Height averages ; Community stature ; Pre-industrial societies ; Nutritional status ; Biological wellbeing
Published in: Historia agraria, Núm. 47 (Abril 2009) , p. 45-67, ISSN 1139-1472

Adreça alternativa: http://www.historiaagraria.com/es/numeros/antonio-david-camara-hueso-long-term-trends-in-height-in-rural-eastern-andalusia-1750-1950


23 p, 571.3 KB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Social and Legal Sciences > Centre for Demographic Studies (CED-CERCA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles

 Record created 2016-11-24, last modified 2024-02-07



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