Late 19th- and early 20th- century urban net nutrition by gender and race.

Abstract

Individuals urbanize when the net benefits of urban living exceed those of rural conditions. Body mass index (BMI), height, and weight are measures of welfare that reflect the balance between caloric intake and the physiological demands of labor and environmental conditions. Using 19th- and early 20th-century US prison records, this study illustrates that urban residents had lower BMIs, shorter stature, and lower body weight than rural residents. Urban nutritional outcomes varied by race: both white and black urban residents had lower BMIs, shorter stature, and lower weight relative to their rural counterparts. Net nutrition variation was greater among urban males compared to females, indicating that urbanization affected male net nutrition more than female nutritional status.