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Long run relationship between biological well being, and economic development in Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Adolfo Meisel-Roca
  • María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo

    (Banco de la República de Colombia)

  • Daniela Santos-Cárdenas
Abstract
This paper explores the long run relationship between the physical stature of Colombians born during the twentieth century and several socio-economic development indicators using time series techniques. The econometric analysis is carried out considering four height measures: total height, female’s height, male’s height, and the gender height dimorphism. The database comprises height information from the national identification cards for nearly 13 million persons born between 1910 and 1989: 6.283.452 correspond to men and 6.383.023 to women. Results suggest the existence of a long-run relationship between all height measures and the economic variables included in the analysis. In general, the results indicate that improvements in the availability of better-quality food, and the reduction in food prices, measured by the degree of openness and by infrastructure developments, as well as improvements in the economic conditions lead to increases in height. Regarding the gender inequality of height, the results show that height dimorphism in absolute terms decreased during the twentieth century. However, the downward trend observed until the end of 1950s reversed at the beginning of the 1960s, despite the advances in the living conditions of women during this period. This result suggests that earlier improvements in the economic conditions benefited women more, given the considerable gender gap regarding education, health, income, among other dimensions, at the beginning of the twentieth century. On the contrary, the increments in GDP observed during the second half of the twentieth century seem to benefit men’s height more than women. ****** RESUMEN: Este artículo estudia la relación de largo plazo entre la estatura de los colombianos, como un indicador de bienestar de la población, y varios indicadores socioeconómicos durante el siglo XX. El análisis de series de tiempo se lleva a cabo considerando tres medidas de estatura: la estatura promedio de hombres, la estura promedio de mujeres y la brecha de género en estatura (dimorfismo). La base de datos incluye información sobre la estatura de casi 13 millones de personas nacidas entre 1910 y 1989: 6.283.452 hombres y 6.383.023 mujeres, proveniente de las cédulas de ciudadanía. Los resultados sugieren la existencia de una relación de largo plazo entre todas las medidas de estatura y las variables económicas incluidas en el análisis. El aumento de la oferta de alimentos de mejor calidad y la reducción en sus precios, así como el progreso en las condiciones económicas, medidas por el crecimiento del PIB per cápita, la educación y el Índice de Desarrollo Humano llevaron a aumentos en la estatura de la población en Colombia. En cuanto a la desigualdad de género, los resultados muestran que en términos absolutos el dimorfismo disminuyó durante el siglo XX. Sin embargo, la tendencia decreciente observada en la brecha hasta finales de la década de 1950 se invirtió a principios de la década de 1960, a pesar de los avances en las condiciones de vida de las mujeres durante este período. Este resultado sugiere que los avances en las condiciones económicas que tuvieron lugar en la primera mitad del siglo XX beneficiaron más a las mujeres, dada la considerable brecha de género con respecto a educación, salud e ingresos, que ellas presentaban a comienzos del siglo XX. Por el contrario, los incrementos en el PIB observados durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX parecen haber beneficiado más la estatura de los hombres que la de las mujeres.

Suggested Citation

  • Adolfo Meisel-Roca & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo & Daniela Santos-Cárdenas, 2019. "Long run relationship between biological well being, and economic development in Colombia," Borradores de Economia 1096, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdr:borrec:1096
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.32468/be.1096
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anthropometrics; dimorphism; income; economic development; cointegration; Antropometría; dimorfismo; desarrollo económico; cointegración;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes

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