The biological standard of living and body height in colonial and post-colonial Indonesia, 1770–2000

Joerg Baten, Mojgan Stegl () and Pierre van der Eng

Journal of Bioeconomics, 2013, vol. 15, issue 2, 103-122

Abstract: How did the biological standard of living develop in Indonesia during colonial times? Did it increase substantially after decolonization? In our study, we use four sets of anthropometric data to construct time series of average human height since the 1770s. The paper observes a significant decline in heights in the 1870s, followed by only modest recovery during the next three decades, both of which are related to a sequence of disasters. Average heights increased from the 1900s and accelerated after World War II. The World Economic Crisis, the Japanese occupation and the war of independence in the 1930s and 1940s constituted a difficult period. Average height growth thereafter is related to improvements in food supply and the disease environment, particularly hygiene and medical care. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2013

Keywords: Biological standard of living; Human heights; Indonesia; Welfare; Economic development; N35; O15; I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:kap:jbioec:v:15:y:2013:i:2:p:103-122

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DOI: 10.1007/s10818-012-9144-2

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