Full Citation

Title: Family Size, Household Wealth and Socio-economic Status Across the Body Mass Index Distribution During US Economic Development

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2021

ISBN:

ISSN: 02601079

DOI: 10.1177/0260107921989908

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: Households behave systematically in family planning and intra-household resource allocation. A neglected area in historical health studies is the relationship between body mass index (BMI), health and family size. Using robust statistics and a large nineteenth-century BMI data set, this study uses an overlapping generations model to explain resource allocation within the household and illustrates that there is a positive relationship across the BMI distribution with family size. There is also a positive relationship between BMIs and average wealth, and an inverse relationship between BMI and inequality. After controlling for family size and wealth characteristics, there was a positive relationship between BMI and worker’s agricultural rural status.

Url: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0260107921989908

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Carson, Scott Alan

Periodical (Full): Journal of Interdisciplinary Economics

Issue: 2

Volume: 33

Pages: 147-166

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Health, Poverty and Welfare

Countries: