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Height and BMI values of German conscripts in 2000, 2001 and 1906

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  • Hiermeyer, Martin
Abstract
We examine the height and weight of 320,000 German 18-22-year-old conscripts born between 1979 and 1982. We show that height and BMI outcomes are associated with the socio-economic status of a person. For example, we find a positive correlation between education and height and a negative one between education and BMI. A West-East and a North-South gradient in both height and BMI is found. Today, West German recruits are about 5.5Â cm taller than their peers 43 years ago and about 12.5Â cm taller than those 100 years ago, reflecting a substantial improvement in the biological standard of living. To this day, however, individuals of high socio-economic status reach an above-average height.

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  • Hiermeyer, Martin, 2009. "Height and BMI values of German conscripts in 2000, 2001 and 1906," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 366-375, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:7:y:2009:i:3:p:366-375
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    3. Kues, Arne Benjamin, 2010. "Taller - Healthier - more equal? The biological standard of living in Switzerland in the second half of the 20th century," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 67-79, March.
    4. Hatton, Timothy J. & Bray, Bernice E., 2010. "Long run trends in the heights of European men, 19th-20th centuries," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 405-413, December.
    5. Akbulut-Yuksel, Mevlude, 2017. "War during childhood: The long run effects of warfare on health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 117-130.
    6. Grasgruber, P. & Cacek, J. & Kalina, T. & Sebera, M., 2014. "The role of nutrition and genetics as key determinants of the positive height trend," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 81-100.
    7. McEvoy, Brian P. & Visscher, Peter M., 2009. "Genetics of human height," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 294-306, December.
    8. Bielecki, Emily M. & Haas, Jere D. & Hulanicka, Barbara, 2012. "Secular changes in the height of Polish schoolboys from 1955 to 1988," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 310-317.
    9. Huang, Ying & van Poppel, Frans & Lumey, L.H., 2015. "Differences in height by education among 371,105 Dutch military conscripts," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 202-207.
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    11. Ramon Ramon-Muñoz & Josep-Maria Ramon-Muñoz, 2015. "Height and Industrialisation in a City in Catalonia during the Nineteenth Century," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2015/334, University of Barcelona School of Economics.

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