This paper is intended as a contribution to the debate on the determinants of physical stature in the past and it specifically investigates whether, in Sardinia, height − considered as a proxy of the share of household resources allocated to a child’s growth − was influenced by the number of brothers and sisters amongst whom parents had to distribute available resources. This study is limited to the male population, because military records represent the only source at our disposal providing historical data on height. The community studied is the town of Alghero, located on the northwestern coast of Sardinia, at the turn of the twentieth century. We have adopted a longitudinal approach, thanks to the rich dataset reconstructed for Alghero, using different sources including family, socioeconomic and anthropometric indicators. The results, in line with the resource dilution hypothesis, show that competition within the household was of some importance and that the effects on height due to scarcity of resources were particularly evident amongst farmers, the most representative socioeconomic status group in Alghero. A significant contribution to the stature reached in adulthood was also given by the socioeconomic status of the family or else by other individual characteristics.

The relationship between family characteristics and height in Sardinia at the turn of the twentieth century / Mazzoni, Stanislao; Breschi, Marco; Manfredini, Matteo; Pozzi, Lucia; Ruiu, Gabriele. - In: THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY. - ISSN 1081-602X. - 22:2-3(2016), pp. 1-19. [10.1080/1081602X.2016.1230509]

The relationship between family characteristics and height in Sardinia at the turn of the twentieth century

MAZZONI, Stanislao;BRESCHI, Marco;Pozzi, Lucia;RUIU, Gabriele
2016-01-01

Abstract

This paper is intended as a contribution to the debate on the determinants of physical stature in the past and it specifically investigates whether, in Sardinia, height − considered as a proxy of the share of household resources allocated to a child’s growth − was influenced by the number of brothers and sisters amongst whom parents had to distribute available resources. This study is limited to the male population, because military records represent the only source at our disposal providing historical data on height. The community studied is the town of Alghero, located on the northwestern coast of Sardinia, at the turn of the twentieth century. We have adopted a longitudinal approach, thanks to the rich dataset reconstructed for Alghero, using different sources including family, socioeconomic and anthropometric indicators. The results, in line with the resource dilution hypothesis, show that competition within the household was of some importance and that the effects on height due to scarcity of resources were particularly evident amongst farmers, the most representative socioeconomic status group in Alghero. A significant contribution to the stature reached in adulthood was also given by the socioeconomic status of the family or else by other individual characteristics.
2016
The relationship between family characteristics and height in Sardinia at the turn of the twentieth century / Mazzoni, Stanislao; Breschi, Marco; Manfredini, Matteo; Pozzi, Lucia; Ruiu, Gabriele. - In: THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY. - ISSN 1081-602X. - 22:2-3(2016), pp. 1-19. [10.1080/1081602X.2016.1230509]
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11388/171021
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 16
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 13
social impact