NET NUTRITION AND THE TRANSITION FROM 19TH CENTURY BOUND TO FREE-LABOR: ASSESSING DIETARY CHANGE WITH DIFFERENCES-IN-DECOMPOSITIONS. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carson, Scott Alan
• Is Part Of: Journal of demographic economics. Volume 84:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 475
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Stature variation, -- cumulative net nutrition, -- Oaxaca decomposition; C1, -- C4, -- D1, -- I1, -- N3; Demography -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; Population -- Economic aspects -- Periodicals; 304.605
• DOI: 10.1017/dem.2018.15
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2054-0892

Abstract

Abstract: Average stature reflects cumulative net nutrition and health during economic development. This study introduces a difference-in-decompositions approach to show that although 19th century African-American cumulative net nutrition was comparable to working class whites, it was made worse-off with the transition to free-labor. Average stature reflects net nutrition over the life-course, and adult blacks born under bound-labor had greater age related statures loss than blacks under free-labor. Agricultural worker's net nutrition was better than workers in other occupations and was better-off under free-labor and industrialization. Within-group stature variation was greater than across-group variation, and white within-group stature variation associated with socioeconomic status was greater than African-Americans.