Essays in anthropometric history [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Arne Benjamin Kues

Arne Benjamin Kues

Informations

• Publié par: ludwig-maximilians-universitat_munchen
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Essays in Anthropometric History

Inaugural-Dissertation
zur Erlangung des Grades Doctor oeconomiae publicae (Dr. oec. publ.)
an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

2007

vorgelegt von
Arne Benjamin Kues


Referent: Prof. John Komlos, Ph.D.
Koreferent: Prof. Claude Hillinger, Ph.D.
Promotionsabschlussberatung: 18. Juli 2007




Essays in Anthropometric History
by Arne Benjamin Kues

Submitted to the Department of Economics
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor oeconomiae publicae (Dr. oec. publ.)
at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich

2007



Thesis Supervisor: Prof. John Komlos, Ph.D.
Thesis Co-Supervisor: Prof. Claude Hillinger, Ph.D.
Final Committee Consultation: July 18th, 2007

Acknowledgements
First at all, I want to thank my supervisor, John Komlos. This work would not have been
possible without all his support, guidance, encouragement, comments and suggestions. I am
also indebted to Claude Hillinger for agreeing to become the co-supervisor.
While writing the thesis I have benefited from discussions with my colleagues at the chair of
economic history, Ariane Breitfelder, Francesco Cinnirella, Martin Hiermeyer, Jana Lantzsch
and Marco Sunder. They all provided valuable advice and many helpful remarks. Comments
by Helmut Küchenhoff, Luciano Molinari, Christian Pfister and Frank Rühli are also
gratefully acknowledged. I am indebted to Claire Gordon and the “Living in Switzerland
1999-2020” project for providing me the data chapters 3 and 4 are based upon as well as to
Daniel von Heimendahl for his careful perusal of the manuscript. All remaining errors are
solely mine.
Finally, I want to thank my parents. It was them who nourished the initial idea of pursuing
this project, and I am grateful for all their support during all these years.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introductory Remarks ...................................................................................... 10
References .......................................................................................................................... 17
PART I: Standing Tall: Further Evidence on the Biological Standard of
Living in Colonial British America ................................................................. 20
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 21
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 21
The Standard of Living in Colonial British America: Demographics and GDP......... 23
The Alternative Approach: Previous Research on Colonial Heights ........................... 27
Data and Method of Analysis ........................................................................................... 29
Results................................................................................................................................. 36
OLS Regression Results ................................................................................................. 36
Alternative Regression Methods..................................................................................... 48
Growth Profile ................................................................................................................ 53
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 56
References..... 58
Appendix I: List of Source Documents of the Data Used in the Present Study........... 64
Appendix II: Full OLS Regression Results ..................................................................... 65
Apppendix III – Approximation of Optimal Truncation Point for STATA’s Truncreg
Function.............................................................................................................................. 67
PART II: On the Biological Standard of Living in Switzerland c. 1830...... 70
Abstract....... 71
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 71
thSwitzerland during the First Half of the 19 Century................................................... 72
A Short Overview ........................................................................................................... 72
Demographics ................................................................................................................. 74
Population Growth..................................................................................................... 74
Mortality..................................................................................................................... 75
Urbanization .............................................................................................................. 77
Industrialization 79
Price Level Trend............................................................................................................ 80
Real Income................................................................................................................ 81
Foodstuff Prices ......................................................................................................... 82
Data..................................................................................................................................... 84
4
Height Data on Swiss Mercenaries................................................................................. 84
Shortcomings of the Data Set ......................................................................................... 85
Sampling Process – Selection and Self Selection....................................................... 85
Minimum Height Requirement ................................................................................... 86
Description of Origins ............................................................................................... 88
Descriptive Statistics....................................................................................................... 88
Findings .............................................................................................................................. 90
Time Trends of the Raw Data 90
Regression Analysis of the Time Trend ........................................................................ 92
Spatial Effects................................................................................................................. 95
International Comparison ............................................................................................... 98
British German Legion 98
Comparison with Other Data..................................................................................... 99
Conclusion........................................................................................................................ 101
References... 102
Appendix I... 107
PART III: The Physical Stature and BMI Values of U.S. Army Personnel in
1988 ...................................................................................................................108
Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 109
Introduction.. 109
Previous Research on the Secular Trend in U.S. Mean Stature ................................. 110
Data and Methods............................................................................................................ 112
Results............................................................................................................................... 119
Stature of U.S. Military Personnel................................................................................ 119
Body Mass Index of U.S. Military Personnel............................................................... 125
Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 128
Conclusion... 130
References... 131
Appendix I: Regional Division of the United States ..................................................... 135
PART IV: Taller – Healthier – More Equal? The Biological Standard of
thLiving in Switzerland in the Second Half of the 20 Century ....................136
Abstract ............................................................................................................................ 137
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 137
Data................................................................................................................................... 139
Findings..... 145
5
Stature ........................................................................................................................... 146
Body Mass Index .......................................................................................................... 154
Discussion ...................................................................................................