THE PHYSICAL STATURE OF MEN IN 19TH-CENTURY CHILE: ANOTHER CASE OF STAGNATION DURING AN EXPORT BOOM

In: Revista de historia económica: RHE = Journal of Iberian and Latin American economic history, Band 37, Heft 2, S. 239-270

Abstract

AbstractThis article provides the first series of adult male height for 19th-century Chile. Our aim was not only to assess the trends indicated by height during this period, but also the relationship between stature and both GDPper capitaand exports. Having analysed our data, our primary conclusion is that there was a reduction in height for cohorts born in the 1850s and 1860s with respect to cohorts born between 1820 and 1840. Height stagnated thereafter, with small to no improvement towards the end of the 19thcentury, in line with other Latin American countries for which there is comparable evidence. The increase inper capitaGDP and exports during the second half of the century did not result in better biological welfare, as was the case in other Latin American countries during similar export booms.