The Measure of Man and Older Age Mortality: Evidence from the Gould Sample

Dora L. Costa

No 8843, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper documents differences in body size between white, black, and Indian mid-nineteenth century American men and investigates the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of frame size using a unique data set of Civil War soldiers. It finds that over time men have grown taller and heavier and have relatively less abdominal fat. Abdominal fat in young adulthood was an excellent predictor of older age mortality from ischemic heart disease or stroke. Changes in frame size explain roughly three-fifths of the mortality decline among white men between 1915 and 1988 and predict even sharper declines in older age mortality between 1988 and 2022. Data accompanying this paper can be found at www.nber.org/gould.

JEL-codes: J11 I12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-ltv
Date: 2002-03
Note: AG CH DAE LS
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Journal Article: The Measure of Man and Older Age Mortality: Evidence from the Gould Sample (2004)
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