MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Economics and Human Biology' source. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:32:07 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5656201&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22269776%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hruschka DJ, Brewis AA Abstract This paper proposes a benchmark for comparing SES gradients across countries, based on gross domestic product apportioned to members of differing wealth categories within countries. Using this approach, we estimate absolute wealth in 360 populations in 36 developing countries and model its relationship with overweight (BMI≥25) among non-pregnant women ages 18-49. A simple model based on absolute wealth alone strongly predicts odds of overweight (R(2)=0.59), a relationship that holds both between countries and between different groups in the same country (10 populations for each of 36 countries). Moreover, world region modifies this relationship, accounting for an additional 22% of variance (R(2)=0.81). This allows us to extract a basic pat... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5656201 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5656201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5619198&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22261285%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Carrieri V, De Paola M Abstract Using an Italian survey, we investigate the effect of height on individual happiness. We find that a large part of the effect of height on well-being is driven by a positive correlation between height and economic and health conditions. However, for young men the effect of height on happiness persists even after controlling for these variables, implying that height is associated with some psycho-social direct effects on well-being. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that men care not only about their own height but also about the height of others in their reference group. Well-being is greater for individuals who are taller than other men in their reference group. Results are robust to different definitions of reference group and contr... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5619198 Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100 5619198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5437206&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22094047%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Dunn RA, Sharkey JR, Horel S Abstract Rural areas of the United States tend to have higher obesity rates than urban areas, particularly in regions with high proportions of non-white residents. This paper analyzes the effect of fast-food availability on the level of fast-food consumption and obesity risk among both white and non-white residents of central Texas. Potential endogeneity of fast-food availability is addressed through instrumental variables regression using distance to the nearest major highway as an instrument. We find that non-whites tend to exhibit higher obesity rates, greater access to fast-food establishments and higher consumption of fast-food meals compared to their white counterparts. In addition, we found that whites and non-whites respond differently ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5437206 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5437206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5412892&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22056235%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ali MM, Amialchuk A, Rizzo JA Abstract Evidence of negative stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards obese individuals has been widely documented. However, the effect of a larger body size on social network ties or friendship formations is less well understood. In this paper, we explore the extent to which higher body weight results in social marginalization of adolescents. Using data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents, we estimate endogeneity-corrected models including school-level fixed effects that account for bi-directionality and unobserved confounders to ascertain the effect of body weight on social network ties. We find that obese adolescents have fewer friends and are less socially integrated than their non-obese counterparts. We also f... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5412892 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5412892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5377043&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22036017%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yoo D Abstract Factors related to geography such as climate, natural resources or waterways often affect human activities. However, traditional approaches such as ordinary least squares (OLS) have limitations in investigating such patterns. Unlike OLS regression, geographically weighted regression (GWR) allows the coefficients of explanatory variables to differ by locality by giving relatively more weight to geographically close observations. GWR depicts spatial patterns. This paper examines the pattern of height and crude death rate in the United States prior to the Civil War by this method. The GWR results show that access to water transportation increased mortality and decreased stature in the food exporting areas of the Midwest, and the opposite pattern appeared in the... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5377043 Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5377043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5377042&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22041124%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sabia JJ, Rees DI Abstract This note uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine the relationship between body weight and wages. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and individual fixed effects estimates provide evidence that overweight and obese white women are paid substantially less per hour than their slimmer counterparts. Two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation confirms this relationship, suggesting that it is not driven by time-variant unobservables. PMID: 22041124 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5377042 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5377042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5377044&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22024417%26dopt%3DAbstract This study applies a unique approach to identify the smoking effects on body weight and to evaluate the heterogeneity in these effects across the body mass index (BMI) distribution by utilizing genetic instruments for smoking. Using a data sample of 1057 mothers from Norway, the study finds heterogeneous effects of cigarette smoking on BMI - smoking increases BMI at low/moderate BMI levels and decreases BMI at high BMI levels. The study highlights the potential advantages and challenges of employing genetic instrumental variables to identify behavior effects including the importance of qualifying the instruments and the need for large samples. PMID: 22024417 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5377044 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5377044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5377045&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D22014834%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ferrie JP, Rolf K, Troesken W Abstract Higher prior exposure to water-borne lead among male World War Two U.S. Army enlistees was associated with lower intelligence test scores. Exposure was proxied by urban residence and the water pH levels of the cities where enlistees lived in 1930. Army General Classification Test scores were six points lower (nearly 1/3 standard deviation) where pH was 6 (so the water lead concentration for a given amount of lead piping was higher) than where pH was 7 (so the concentration was lower). This difference rose with time exposed. At this time, the dangers of exposure to lead in water were not widely known and lead was ubiquitous in water systems, so these results are not likely the effect of individuals selecting into locations with differe... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5377045 Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5377045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273265&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21945820%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Murasko JE Abstract This paper evaluates the association between income and physical development in a nationally representative sample of contemporary US schoolchildren followed from kindergarten to eighth grade (average ages of 6-14). A generalized linear mixed modeling framework is used to evaluate height and body mass index (BMI) as both levels and annualized growth in a pooled sample. Contemporary US schoolchildren show income variation in height that is significant but modest at around .1cm (in kindergarten) to .4cm (eighth grade) increases per doubling of income. An exception is found for Hispanic children who show faster height velocity associated with higher income through childhood yielding a 1.0cm increase per doubling of income by the eighth grade. All groups ex... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273265 Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5273266&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21940223%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lin BH, Smith TA, Lee JY, Hall KD Abstract Taxing unhealthy foods has been proposed as a means to improve diet and health by reducing calorie intake and raising funds to combat obesity, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). A growing number of studies have examined the effects of such food taxes, but few have estimated the weight-loss effects. Typically, a static model of 3500 calories for one pound of body weight is used, and the main objective of the study is to demonstrate its bias. To accomplish the objective, we estimate income-segmented beverage demand systems to examine the potential effects of a SSB tax. Elasticity estimates and a hypothetical 20 percent effective tax rate (or about 0.5 cent per ounce) are applied to beverage intake data from a nationally ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5273266 Tue, 06 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5273266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5215739&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21907647%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tefft N Abstract This paper explores the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures and employment status in light of a constructed index related to Seasonal Affective Disorder that depends only on latitude and day of year. In models including demographic covariates and indicators for state, year, and quarter, more hours of darkness is associated with poorer HRQOL, which in turn is associated with a lower likelihood of employment. The relationships between the darkness index and HRQOL measures are stronger overall for women than for men. Inclusion of both the darkness index and the HRQOL measures in models of employment status determinants provides some evidence that the former operates through the latter in predicting a lower likelihood of employ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5215739 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5215739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5215740&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21907646%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Spears D Abstract Taller children perform better on average on tests of cognitive achievement, in part because of differences in early-life health and net nutrition. Recent research documenting this height-achievement slope has primarily focused on rich countries. Using the India Human Development Survey, a representative sample of 40,000 households which matches anthropometric data to learning tests, this paper documents a height-achievement slope among Indian children. The height-achievement slope in India is more than twice as steep as in the U.S. An earlier survey interviewed some IHDS children's households eleven years before. Including matched early-life control variables reduces the apparent effect of height, but does not eliminate it; water, sanitation, and hygiene... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5215740 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5215740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5215741&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21890437%26dopt%3DAbstract In conclusion, there is moderate quality evidence that dairy products supplementation stimulate linear growth supporting hypotheses that changing levels of consumption of dairy products in the 19th and 20th centuries contributed to trends in height. PMID: 21890437 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5215741 Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5215741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5215742&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21889428%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee J, Houser RF, Must A, de Fulladolsa PP, Bermudez OI Abstract The double burden of malnutrition, defined here as households with a stunted child and an overweight mother (SCOM), is a growing problem in Guatemala. We explored the magnitude of SCOM and the identification of socio-economic factors associated with this malnutrition duality. From the 2000 Living Standards Measurement Study from Guatemala, we obtained a sample of 2492 households with pairs of children 6-60 months and their mothers (18-49 years) and estimated the prevalence of SCOM. Economic characteristics of this sample were assessed with the Concentration Index (CI). Results revealed higher prevalence of child stunting, but a lower prevalence of maternal overweight among the poor compared to the rich househ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5215742 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0100 5215742 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138924&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21840274%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jahns L, Adair L, Mroz T, Popkin BM The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among income, diet, physical activity behaviors and overweight among Russian children during a period of economic upheaval. Subjects include 2151 schoolchildren aged 7-13 derived from cross-sectional waves of the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Surveys in 1995 and in 2002. Diet was assessed by 24-h recall and physical activity (h/week) and household income by parental questionnaire. Hours spent in vigorous activities were low (1.0-1.5h/week), and time spent in sedentary behaviors increased from 31 to 37h/week between 1995 and 2002. In 1995 there was a direct relationship of income to energy and fat intake, and time spent in vigorous activity, and an inverse relationship of income to h/week... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138924 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5138924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138983&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21816691%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jolliffe D Contrary to conventional wisdom, NHANES data indicate that the poor have never had a statistically significant higher prevalence of overweight status at any time in the last 35 years. Despite this empirical evidence, the view that the poor are less healthy in terms of excess accumulation of fat persists. This paper provides evidence that conventional wisdom is reflecting important differences in the relationship between income and the body mass index. The first finding is based on distribution-sensitive measures of overweight which indicates that the severity of overweight has been higher for the poor than the nonpoor throughout the last 35 years. The second finding is from a newly introduced estimator, unconditional quantile regression (UQR), which provides a measu... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138983 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5138983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138961&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21820367%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hope D, Bates T, Penke L, Gow AJ, Starr JM, Deary IJ The association of socioeconomic status (SES) with a range of lifecourse outcomes is robust, but the causes of these associations are not well understood. Research on the developmental origins of health and disease has led to the hypothesis that early developmental disturbance might permanently affect the lifecourse, accounting for some of the burden of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease. Here we assessed developmental disturbance using bodily and facial symmetry and examined its association with socioeconomic status (SES) in childhood, and attained status at midlife. Symmetry was measured at ages 83 (facial symmetry) and 87 (bodily symmetry) in a sample of 292 individuals from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 (LBC... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138961 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5138961 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138939&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21820368%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bozoyan C, Wolbring T Recent studies in health economics have generated two important findings: that as a measure of fatness the body mass index (BMI) is biased; and that, when it comes to analyzing wage correlates, both fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat (BF) are better suited to the task. We validate these findings for Germany using the BIAdata Base Project and the German Socio-Economic Panel. While we find no significant correlation between BMI and wages in any of our models, simple linear regression models featuring both contemporary and time-lagged fatness measures indicate that FFM and, to a lesser extent, BF are associated with hourly wages: more specifically, the relationship between FFM/BF and hourly wages is about two to three times higher for females than for males. I... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138939 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5138939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5138932&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21820369%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Han E, Norton EC, Powell LM Previous estimates of the association between body weight and wages in the literature have been conditional on education and occupation. In addition to the effect of current body weight status (body mass index (BMI) or obesity) on wages, this paper examines the indirect effect of body weight status in the late-teenage years on wages operating through education and occupation choice. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 data, for women, we find that a one-unit increase in BMI is directly associated with 1.83% lower hourly wages whereas the indirect BMI wage penalty is not statistically significant. Neither a direct nor an indirect BMI wage penalty is found for men. However, results based on clinical weight classification reveal that t... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5138932 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5138932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5089950&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21807570%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lhila A Rise in the availability of fast-food restaurants has been blamed, at least partly, for the increasing obesity in the U.S. The existing studies of obesity have focused primarily on children, adolescents, and adults, and this paper extends the literature by raising a little-studied question and using nationally representative data to answer it. It examines the relationship between the supply of fast-food restaurants and weight gain of pregnant women and their newborns. I study prenatal weight gain because excessive weight gain has been linked to postpartum overweight/obesity and I study both tails of the birthweight distribution because the origin of obesity may be traced to the prenatal period and both tail outcomes have been associated with obesity later in life. I me... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5089950 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5089950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5039121&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21752733%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bielecki EM, Haas JD, Hulanicka B Secular changes in height have been observed in many regions of Poland using cross-sectional data; however, data from four nationally representative surveys conducted from 1955 to 1988 have only been partially analyzed. Dramatic social and economic transitions during this 33 year period provide a unique opportunity to understand changes in growth within this historic context. We analyzed the changes in height of boys, aged 7-18 years, from surveys conducted in 1955, 1966, 1978 and 1988. Data for height were converted to Z-scores using the LMS method and the 2000 National Center for Health Statistics reference. In each consecutive survey year, boys at all ages were significantly taller than the same aged boys from the previous survey year, with... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5039121 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5039121 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5039122&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21737364%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Datta Gupta N, Deding M, Lausten M A number of studies have documented negative long term effects of low birth weight. Yet, not much is known about the dynamics of the process leading to adverse health and educational outcomes in the long run. While previous studies focusing mainly on LBW effects on physical growth and cognitive outcomes have found effects of the same size at both school age and young adulthood, others have found a diminishing negative effect over time. The purpose of this paper was to bring new evidence to this issue by analyzing the medium run effects of low birth weight on child behavioral outcomes as well as physical growth at ages 6 months, 3½, 7½ and 11 years using data from the Danish Longitudinal Survey of Children. Observing the same children at dif... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5039122 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5039122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4897779&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21616729%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cinnirella F, Piopiunik M, Winter J Height is positively associated with educational attainment. We investigate the mechanisms behind this relationship using data on German pre-teen students. We show that taller children are more likely to enroll in Gymnasium, the most academic secondary school track, and that primary school teachers provide more favorable school track decisions to taller students. We find that a 1cm increase in height is associated with a 1.6 percentage points increase in the probability of attending Gymnasium. This holds even when controlling for academic achievement and parental background. In addition, we present evidence that height and social skills are positively associated already at age 2-3. We propose the association between height and noncognitive s... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4897779 Mon, 23 May 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4897779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4851360&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21596628%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Peracchi F, Arcaleni E This paper explores the relationship between the two main dimensions of early-life environment, namely disease burden (measured by infant mortality) and economic conditions (measured by income or consumption per capita), and height and body-mass index (BMI) for six annual cohorts of young Italian men born between 1973 and 1978. By combining micro-level data on height and weight with regional- and province-level information, we are able to link individual height and BMI at age 18 to regional and provincial averages of environmental variables in the year of birth. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that, in rich low-mortality settings, the negative effects of childhood disease dominate the positive selection effects of mortality. We find that b... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4851360 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4851360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4851363&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21555256%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Colchero MA, Bishai D We estimated the relationship between weight status and earnings among women participating in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Surveys between 1983 and 2002 conducted in Cebu, Philippines. Women working for pay were selected for the analysis. We used fixed effects estimation to account for unobserved time invariant characteristics related to weight. After correcting for potential bias due to unobserved heterogeneity, our results suggest that the earnings of obese or overweight women in Cebu (Philippines) were not less than women of normal weight. The relation between earnings and weight exists only among self-employed women or women working in more than one type of activity. No discrimination was found among women working for wages or per piece ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4851363 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4851363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4851361&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21592871%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schubert H, We estimate the trend in average height of the population of the French province Orleans from 1715 to the beginning of the 19th century using data on recruits who were drafted either through a lottery system or through general conscription. After controlling for age, residence, and occupation, we find a general decline in the biological standard of living in the decades before the French Revolution. The results support a Ricardian-Malthusian interpretation of the causes of the French Revolution. In the debate 'Revolution de la misère ou de la prospérité' our findings support the side which argues that the French Revolution was a culmination of a long-lasting economic malaise during the final phases of the Ancien Régime. PMID: 21592871 [PubMed - as supplied... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4851361 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4851361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4851362&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21561816%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Salois MJ Obesity and diabetes are increasingly attributed to environmental factors, however, little attention has been paid to the influence of the 'local' food economy. This paper examines the association of measures relating to the built environment and 'local' agriculture with U.S. county-level prevalence of obesity and diabetes. Key indicators of the 'local' food economy include the density of farmers' markets and the presence of farms with direct sales. This paper employs a robust regression estimator to account for non-normality of the data and to accommodate outliers. Overall, the built environment is associated with the prevalence of obesity and diabetes and a strong local' food economy may play an important role in prevention. Results imply considerable scope for com... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4851362 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4851362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798246&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21497145%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Fu TT, Lin YM, Huang CL The purpose of this paper is to estimate consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) and investigate factors that affect participation in therapy to reduce weight or prevent obesity. As for the decision to participate in obesity prevention therapy, the results show that the price charged for therapy is the key factor. Furthermore, the gender, education, income, the concern that work achievement is affected by obesity, and health condition variables are found to be important and significant determinants of the decision to participate in the therapy. The average willingness to pay for obesity reduction therapy which could reduce weight by 5kg in 3 months is estimated to be NT$12,531 (US$362) among the sample respondents. The results of the profile analysis sugges... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798246 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798244&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21514255%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nastis SA, Crocker TD The paper estimates the value a mother assigns to own health relative to child health. Estimation of relative health valuation requires the decomposition of a child health improvement into its direct effect on the child's health and its indirect effect, through improvements in maternal health. Failure to distinguish the impact of the direct and indirect effects can lead to biased estimates. We consider the intrauterine environment of a pregnant mother and her unborn child, where maternal health inputs are choice variables and her health affects child health. The empirical estimates suggest that mothers value child health up to six times higher than own health, and that the relative value depends on maternal consumption patterns and household characteristi... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798244 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4798245&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21507735%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examined the evidence of stature reduction in studies since 1984 to evaluate if the trend towards decreased health after agricultural transitions remains. The trend towards a decrease in adult height and a general reduction of overall health during times of subsistence change remains valid, with the majority of studies finding stature to decline as the reliance on agriculture increased. The impact of agriculture, accompanied by increasing population density and a rise in infectious disease, was observed to decrease stature in populations from across the entire globe and regardless of the temporal period during which agriculture was adopted, including Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America, and North America. PMID: 21507735 [PubMed - as supplied by publis... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4798245 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4798245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693541&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21459057%26dopt%3DAbstract This study explores socio-economic gradients in height (stature-for-age) among a nationally representative sample of 2-6 year old children in the United States. We use NHANES III (1988-1994) Youth data linked with a special Natality Data supplement which contains information from birth certificates among sampled NHANES III Youth who are <7years of age. Our results indicate significant socio-economic gradients for both maternal education and family income, net of controls for confounders, including: birth weight, gestational age, family size, and parental heights. These results are in stark contrast to those from other developed countries that seem to indicate diminished or eliminated socio-economic disparities, net of known confounders. In the United States, it appears that socio-econom... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693541 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4693541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693542&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21459056%26dopt%3DAbstract We present a first glimpse of the mean height of men in eighteenth century Mexico based on evidence from the Revillagigedo Census of 1791-1792. Mexican men were shorter than those of Europe and North America. For example, contemporary French men were about 165cm and US men were about 174cm; in contrast, Mexican men were about 162cm. Men of higher income were taller than those in the middle and lower income strata. Mestizos (a mix of whites and Indians) were shorter than the rest of the recruits belonging to other ethnic categories. PMID: 21459056 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693542 Sat, 12 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4693542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693543&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21439918%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Andreyeva T, Kelly IR, Harris JL There is insufficient research on the direct effects of food advertising on children's diet and diet-related health, particularly in non-experimental settings. We employ a nationally-representative sample from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) and the Nielsen Company data on spot television advertising of cereals, fast food restaurants and soft drinks to children across the top 55 designated-market areas to estimate the relation between exposure to food advertising on television and children's food consumption and body weight. Our results suggest that soft drink and fast food television advertising is associated with increased consumption of soft drinks and fast food among elementary school children (Grade 5).... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693543 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4693543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4572153&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21353650%26dopt%3DAbstract This study presents a comprehensive, empirical description of mean height differences and the underlying variation among adults in India across diverse socioeconomic, demographic, and geographically oriented groups as well as birth cohorts. PMID: 21353650 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4572153 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4572153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4572150&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21371953%26dopt%3DAbstract This study aims to assess the economic burden associated with overweight and obesity in children based on a cross-sectional survey from two birth cohort studies: the GINI-plus - German Infant Nutritional Intervention plus Non-Intervention study (3287 respondents aged 9 to <12 years) and the LISA-plus study - Influence of life-style factors on the development of the immune system and allergies in East and West Germany (1762 respondents aged 9 to <12 years). Using a bottom-up approach, we analyse direct costs induced by the utilisation of healthcare services and indirect costs emerging from parents' productivity losses. To investigate the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) on costs, we perform various descriptive analyses and estimate a two-part regression model. Average annual total dire... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4572150 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4572150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4572151&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21367678%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Coneus K, Laucht M, Reuß K This paper examines the impact of parental investments on the development of cognitive, mental and emotional skills during childhood using data from a longitudinal study, the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, starting at birth. Our work offers three important innovations. First, we use reliable measures of the child's cognitive, mental and emotional skills as well as accurate measures of parental investments. The observed investments include parental health behaviour, playing and talking with the child, play materials, leisure activities and others. Second, we estimate latent factor models to account for unobserved characteristics of children. Third, we examine the skill development for girls and boys separately, as well as for children who were b... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4572151 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4572151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4572152&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21354869%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Popławska H, Wilczewski A, Dmitruk A, Hołub W The aim of this study was to determine secular changes in the sexual maturation of children and adolescents from Eastern regions of Poland between 1980 and 2000, with special attention paid to rural-urban differences. Our sample comprised 34,055 girls and 28,100 boys from 9 to 18 years of age. The age at which each gender reached each stage of sexual maturation was examined, along with menarcheal age in girls. An increase in the rate of sexual maturation was observed over the 20-year period of this study. Menarcheal age in girls decreased by 0.59 years. The length of sexual maturation decreased: from 6.58 years to 3.85 years in girls and from 5.84 years to 3.65 years in boys. A significantly faster rate of sexual maturation was o... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4572152 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4572152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517795&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21276759%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Carson SA Using 19th century state prison records, this study contrasts the biological standard of living of comparable US African-American and white females during a period of relatively rapid economic development. White females were consistently taller than black females by about 1.5cm (0.6in.). Whites from Great Lakes and Plains states and black Southwestern females were the tallest. US females were tall compared to their European counterparts. The height of females began to decline in the antebellum period, possibly before that of males. The recovery of physical stature was also earlier among females than among males. This implies that the biological standard of lower-class men and women did not move in parallel during the onset of modern economic growth. It also implies t... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517795 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4517795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517792&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21333616%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Sunder M We analyze archival evidence on the physical stature of 19th-century female US passport applicants. Heights in this group increased markedly at a time when the rest of the population was becoming shorter. While diseases may have affected the physical stature of everyone in the society, the fact that the height of elite women did not decline (and even increased) suggests that their families were wealthy enough to shield them completely from rising price of nutrients. PMID: 21333616 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517792 Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4517792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517794&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21288783%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bhargava A, Docquier F, Moullan Y We analyzed the effects of physician emigration on human development indicators in developing countries. First, the geographical distribution of physician brain drain was documented for the period 1991-2004. Second, random and fixed effects models were employed to investigate the effects of physicians in the home countries and abroad on child mortality and vaccination rates. Third, models were estimated to investigate migration-induced incentives in the medical sector that would increase the number of physicians. The results showed positive effects of migration prospects on medical training though the magnitude was too small for generating a net brain gain. Also, infant and child mortality rates were negatively associated with the number of ph... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517794 Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4517794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517793&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21316315%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ozer BK, Sağır M, Ozer I We use human-skeleton samples to estimate the height of adults living in Anatolia during the Neolithic period. We also report the results of surveys taken in the 20th century on the height of the Turkish population. Neolithic and the Chalcolithic (5000-3000 B.C.) male heights are estimated as 170.9cm and 165.0cm, respectively. Pronounced increases were observed for both sexes between the Chalcolithic and Iron (1000-580 B.C.) periods and sharp decreases among both males and females in the Hellenistic-Roman period (333 B.C. to 395 A.D.). Moreover, recovery to the Iron Age levels was achieved in the Anatolian Medieval period (395-1453 A.D.) for both sexes (169.4cm for males and 158.0cm for females). In 1884 the mean height of men was 162.2cm and by the ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517793 Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4517793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4393844&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21216679%26dopt%3DAbstract This study investigates the importance of peer effects in explaining weight gain among freshman college students. We exploit a natural experiment that takes place on most college campuses in the US - randomized roommate assignments. While previous studies suggest that having an obese spouse, friend, or sibling increases one's likelihood of becoming obese, these social interactions are clearly non-random. We collect data from female students living on campus at a private Midwestern university at the beginning and end of their first year of college. Our findings suggest that the amount of weight gained during the freshman year is strongly and negatively correlated to the roommate's initial weight. Further, our analysis of behaviors suggests that female students adopt some of their roommates'... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4393844 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4393844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314172&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21196135%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Asgeirsdottir TL Most studies of the relationship between body weight - as well as its corollary, beauty - and labor-market outcomes have indicated that it is a function of a gender bias, the negative relationship between excess weight or obesity and labor-market outcomes being greater for women than for men. Iceland offers an exceptional opportunity to examine this hypothesis, given that it scores relatively well on an index of gender equality comprising economic, political, educational, labor-market, and health-based criteria. Equipped with an advanced level of educational attainment, on average, women are well represented in Iceland's labor force. When it comes to women's presence in the political sphere, Iceland is out of the ordinary as well; that Icelanders were the firs... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314172 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4314172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314174&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21195039%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kopczyński M Since 1843 Jews inhabiting the Kingdom of Poland were obliged to serve in the Russian army and therefore were examined by draft boards on a par with Christians. We explore the trends in the height of recruits by religion and place of birth. Basing on samples drawn from 21-year-old conscripts born between 1845 and 1892 we find that Jewish conscripts were shorter than the Christians by 2.5cm at the beginning of the period under scrutiny and the difference exceeded 4cm in the 1890s. The height of Jewish conscripts inhabiting provincial towns declined in the late 1880s and in the early 1890s was about the same as in the 1840s, i.e. 161cm. The socioeconomic crisis of provincial towns caused a massive migration to Warsaw and abroad as well. In the 1870s the stature of ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314174 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4314174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314176&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21159565%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tucker-Seeley RD, Subramanian SV We investigated the association between adult height and three indicators of childhood circumstances: mother's education, childhood financial hardship, and childhood health in the United States. Cross-sectional analysis of adults aged 50 and older in the 2004 Health and Retirement Study (N=14,079) was conducted. Gender and gender-race stratified regression models were used to model the association between adult height and childhood circumstances. The gender-stratified results showed a positive gradient association between mother's education and adult height; those reporting up to grade 8, high school graduate, and greater than high school education for their mother were 4.17cm (p<0.001), 4.92cm (p<0.001), and 5.83cm (p<0.001) taller fo... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314176 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4314176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314177&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21146477%26dopt%3DAbstract This study is the first that explicitly analyses the impact of food prices on adult BMI and obesity in the Russian Federation. Using panel data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey from 1994 to 2005, that included 10,551 urban respondents over 18 years, a reduced form weight demand function is estimated. Controlling for individual heterogeneity by a fixed-effects model, price-weight elasticities are derived. The main result is that food prices are not the essential determinants of BMI and obesity in Russia. Elasticities of BMI with respect to single food prices are low and show absolute values smaller than 0.01. However, some products like chicken meat, milk, onions and butter show significant price effects on body mass. A 20% increase in the price of chicken meat would cause a r... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314177 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4314177 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214926&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21112260%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Nicholas LH Diabetes is rapidly escalating amongst low-income, older adults at great cost to the Medicare program. We use longitudinal survey data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to administrative Medicare records and biomarker data to assess the relationship between Food Stamp receipt and diabetes health outcomes. We find no significant difference in Medicare spending, outpatient utilization, diabetes hospitalizations and blood sugar (HbA1c) levels between recipients and income-eligible non-recipients after controlling for a detailed set of covariates including individual fixed effects and measures of diabetes treatment compliance. As one-third of elderly Food Stamp recipients are currently diabetic, greater coordination between the Food Stamp, Medicare, and Medic... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214926 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4214926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4135302&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D21036112%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Belot M, Fidrmuc J Both in the UK and in the US, we observe puzzling gender asymmetries in the propensity to outmarry: Black men are more likely to have white spouses than Black women, but the opposite is true for Chinese: Chinese men are half less likely to be married to a White person than Chinese women. We argue that differences in height distributions, combined with a simple preference for the husband to be taller than the wife, can help explain these ethnic-specific gender asymmetries. Blacks are taller than Asians, and we argue that this significantly affects their marriage prospects with whites. We provide empirical support for this hypothesis using data from the Millennium Cohort Study. Specifically, we find that ethnic differences in propensity to intermarry with Whit... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4135302 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4135302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061161&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20934925%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Böckerman P, Johansson E, Kiiskinen U, Heliövaara M This paper examines the role of physical strength in the determination of the height wage premium by using the "Health 2000 in Finland" data that contain both self-reported information on the physical strenuousness of work, and information on muscle mass from medical examinations. The results suggest that there are generally no distinct differences in the height premium between four different work strain categories. We also find that muscle mass is positively associated with wages per se. The premium is both statistically and economically more significant for men than for women. In terms of occupational sorting, we observe that the shortest men do physically very demanding work and the tallest do sedentary work, even after ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061161 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4061161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025538&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20864420%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lindeboom M, Lundborg P, van der Klaauw B We study the effect of obesity on employment, using rich data from the British National Child Development Study (NCDS). The results show a significant negative association between obesity and employment even after controlling for a rich set of demographic, socioeconomic, environmental and behavioral variables. In order to account for the endogeneity of obesity, we use and assess instruments introduced by Cawley (2004); the obesity status of biological relatives. Using parental obesity as an instrument, we show that the association between obesity and employment is no longer significant. Similar results are obtained in a model of first differences. We provide a number of different checks on the instruments, by exploiting the richness of... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025538 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4025538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025539&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20851064%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Habibov NN, Fan L This paper evaluates the effectiveness of prenatal healthcare in Azerbaijan on improving child birthweight using the 2006 Azerbaijan Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative survey of reproductive aged women. Two measures of prenatal health utilization are used to measure healthcare input-the number of prenatal visits and the quality index of health care. Endogeneity in prenatal healthcare utilization is controlled by 2SLS regression. Selection bias of probability of child being weighed is controlled by a binomial probit regression. We found that prenatal healthcare does improve child birthweight. The results of the 2SLS suggest that an additional prenatal visit increases birthweight by about 26g, or approximately 0.8% of the raw mean of bir... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025539 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4025539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3971062&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20833117%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lundborg P, Stenberg A Many countries use public resources to compensate individuals with genetic disorders, identified by behaviors/symptoms such as chronic diseases and disabilities. This paper draws attention to molecular genetic research which may provide a new dimension to our understanding of how socioeconomic outcomes are generated. We provide an overview of the recently emerging evidence of gene-environment interaction effects. This literature points out specific areas where policies may compensate groups of individuals carrying genetic risks, without the need to identify anyone's genetic endowments. Moreover, epigenetics studies, which concern heritable changes in gene functions that occur independently of the DNA sequence, have shown that environments may affect heri... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3971062 Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3971062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3890678&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20719584%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Haines MR, Craig LA, Weiss T The "Antebellum Puzzle" has been the subject of comment since the 1980s. It involves the paradox that, although the American economy was experiencing rapid economic growth in the several decades prior to the Civil War (1861-1865), the stature of native-born white males had been declining for the birth cohorts from the late 1820s. This was also true for free blacks (Komlos, 1992), but was apparently not true for slaves. This paper uses a sample of 8592 adult back males who were recruits to the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. They were recruited significantly among ex-slaves. Recruits from the birth cohorts of 1838-1842 were then linked to characteristics of their counties of birth from the 1840 and 1850 U.S. Censuses. Unlike slave... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3890678 Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3890678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823523&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20678741%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maurer J Building on previous evidence from the U.S., this study investigates the relationship between anthropometric markers (height and knee height), early-life conditions, education, and cognitive function in later life among urban elderly from Latin America and the Caribbean. I document a positive association between height and later-life cognitive function, which is larger for women than for men. This sex difference increases when I address potential feedback effects from mid- and later-life circumstances on stature by using knee height as an instrument for height. Specifically, while the estimates for women remain largely unchanged, I only find a diminished and statistically insignificant association between instrumented height and later-life cognition for men. This find... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823523 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3823523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823522&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20678742%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Delajara M, Rodríguez-Segura M Using NHANES data we find that the difference in average height between non-Hispanic White and Mexican American boys of ages 2-14 years has decreased 1.7cm on average during the last quarter of the twentieth century in the United States. Our hypothesis is that the narrowing of the height gap is related to a larger gain in maternal height among Mexican Americans in relation to Whites. We estimate a child's height equation and find that on average about 38% of the reduction in the gap for boys of ages 2-5 years is attributed to this factor. The evidence of a secular trend for height is weak for the case of girls. PMID: 20678742 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823522 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3823522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758901&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20620122%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Twrdek L, Manzel K This paper examines 19th-century Peruvian heights from the early republican period to the end of the guano era (1820-1880). Analyzing male and female prisoner heights from the Lima penitentiary, we find that the physical stature of the lower classes stagnated throughout the period. In spite of the substantial profits generated by Peru's chief export product, guano, these revenues apparently did not filter down to benefit ordinary laborers. PMID: 20620122 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758901 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3758901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758900&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20621569%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gil J, Mora T Given the lack of availability of measured anthropometric data for the whole of Spain, this paper combines data from the 2006 Catalan Health and Health Examination Surveys to compute the size of weight and height self-reporting biases. The underlying determinants of these biases are then analyzed, placing special emphasis on the role played by social norms. Our findings show that social norms regarding "ideal" weight (proxied by the average weight of a reference group based on gender and age) tend to affect the self-reporting weight (relative) bias. This finding suggests that the more satisfied individuals feel with their own body image the less prone they are to under-report their weight, although this effect is contingent upon the definition of social norms and... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758900 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3758900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758897&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20627829%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Oreffice S, Quintana-Domeque C We analyze the marriage-market aspects of weight and height in the United States using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics on anthropometric characteristics of both spouses. We find evidence of positive sorting in spouses' body mass index (BMI), weight, and height. Within couples, gender-asymmetric trade-offs arise not only between physical and socioeconomic attributes, but also between anthropometric attributes, with significant penalties for fatter women and shorter men. A wife's obesity (BMI or weight) measures are negatively correlated with her husband's income, education, and height, controlling for his weight and her height, along with spouses' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Conversely, heavier husbands are not pena... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758897 Mon, 31 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3758897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758899&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20627735%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kozieł S, Lopuszańska M, Szklarska A, Lipowicz A In the 1990s Poland began to make a transition to a free-market economy: a transition accompanied by a variety of negative socio-economic developments, most notably a rise in unemployment. The aim of this study is to shed light on the relationship between occupational status (including unemployment) and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), by examining the experience of 542 men and 572 women between the ages of 40 and 50 of the town of Wroclaw in 2006. The Framingham Risk Score (FRS), which uses certain health and life-style parameters to predict the risk of major coronary problems over a 10-year period, was calculated, and the effect of occupational status on the FRS was assessed. The results showed that the FRS vari... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758899 Sun, 30 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3758899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3758898&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20627736%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Gandelman N We exploit a natural experiment in Montevideo, Uruguay, in order to analyse the effects on human health of granting formal property rights to untitled individuals. Because of administrative mistakes committed decades ago by an institution that no longer exists, such rights may be transferred to residents of some neighborhoods but not to residents of others. We found that titling reduces the probability of suffering from hypertension and diabetes and in some cases rheumatism and asthma as well within 17 years of being offered property rights, but we did not find statistically significant evidence that the housing quality functions as a channel between titling and health. PMID: 20627736 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3758898 Sun, 30 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3758898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3747511&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20605751%26dopt%3DAbstract In this study, we examine the impact of a publicly funded "package" of services that is designed to enable people with a spinal cord injury to return to the workplace. Specifically, this package of services provided client directed assistance for assisting the recipient with the activities of daily living (e.g., bathing, food preparation, etc.). We combine primary data collection methods well developed in other scientific disciplines, but less frequently utilised within economics, with traditional econometric techniques, to present a novel approach to this methodological issue. The Spinal Injuries Survey Instrument was developed and administered using a matched sampling approach. Collected data included, labour market outcomes, exposure to the packages, as well as clinical and demographic ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3747511 Sun, 30 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3747511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3724822&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20594925%26dopt%3DAbstract This study estimates the effects of altitude in South America on the means and quantiles of birth weight and gestational age separately for two large samples born at altitude ranges of 5 to 1,280m and 1,854 to 3,600m. The study finds significant negative altitude effects on birth weight and gestational age in the low-altitude sample and on birth weight in the high-altitude sample. Altitude effects are larger for infants with very low fetal health endowments. The study finds differences in the effects of several inputs such as socioeconomic status and maternal fertility history and health between the two altitude samples. The study highlights the importance of adverse altitude effects on infant health when evaluating the costs and returns of policies that change the number of individuals wh... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3724822 Sun, 30 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3724822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672841&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20541480%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lee J, Houser RF, Must A, de Fulladolsa PP, Bermudez OI The aim of this study was to identify nutritional factors and households characteristics associated with child stunting, maternal overweight and the familial coexistence of both types of malnutrition. In Guatemala, 2000, with nationally representative data, we selected 2261 households with at least one child aged 12-60 months and his/her mother. Nutritional status was assessed in children (e.g., stunting as height-for-age Z-score<-2) and mothers (e.g., overweight as body mass index>/=25kg/m(2)) and identified the presence of both, child stunting and maternal overweight in the same household (SCOM). With logistic regression models we assessed the association of the malnutrition indicators with individual and househol... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672841 Wed, 26 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3672841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672840&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20554484%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bhagowalia P, Chen SE, Masters WA Research on malnutrition typically focuses on extreme cases which pose the greatest individual health risks, but researchers comparing populations might find that variation in mild malnutrition conveys valuable information about public health. This paper constructs and compares new measures of the prevalence, depth and severity of both mild and extreme underweight in children from three months to three years of age, as measured by 130 DHS surveys for 53 countries over a period from 1986 to 2006. We find that variance in mild underweight has a larger and more robust correlation with child mortality than variance in severe underweight, and is itself more closely correlated with local agricultural output, over a wide range of regression specifica... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672840 Tue, 11 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3672840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3568865&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20466603%26dopt%3DAbstract This study analyzes the influence of education and income on the relationship between BMI and mortality and between height and mortality. It is based on data collected between 1963 and 1975 by the Norwegian National Health Screening Service. 1.7 million subjects were recorded. The Norwegian statistics bureau linked these data to the national death records and to socio-economic information. We apply Cox proportional hazards regressions in order to determine whether adding income and education as covariates affects the relations among BMI, height, and mortality. Previous findings and insights are either not present or ambiguous. We conclude that the omission of SES does not significantly bias the effect of BMI on most causes of death, with one exception: type 2 diabetes mellitus, where the e... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3568865 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3568865 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3449479&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20362520%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wada R, Tekin E This paper examines the relationship between body composition and wages in the United States. We develop measures of body composition - body fat (BF) and fat-free mass (FFM) - using data on bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) that are available in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III and estimate wage models for respondents in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. Previous research use body size or BMI as measures of obesity despite a growing concern that they do not distinguish between body fat and fat-free body mass or adequately control for non-homogeneity inside human body. Therefore, measures presented in this paper represent a useful alternative to BMI-based proxies of obesity. This paper also contributes to the growing li... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3449479 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3449479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3328016&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20188639%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Price GN, Darity WA Theoretical justifications for state-sanctioned sterilization of individuals provided by Irving Fisher rationalized its racialization on grounds that certain non-white racial groups, particularly blacks due to their dysgenic biological and behavioral traits, retarded economic growth and should be bred out of existence. Fisher's rationale suggests that national or state level eugenic policies that sterilized the so-called biological and genetically unfit could have been racist in both design and effect by disproportionately targeting black Americans. We empirically explore this with data on eugenic sterilizations in the State of North Carolina between 1958 and 1968. Count data parameter estimates from a cross-county population allocation model of sterilizati... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3328016 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3328016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3276599&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20153271%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rühli FJ, Blümich B, Henneberg M The left tibia of Charlemagne, the Medieval "Father of Europe" has been X-rayed and CT scanned to determine his still highly debated stature. We found the healthy bone to be long (430mm) but rather not robust (total mid-shaft cross-sectional area 473mm(2), cortical area 352mm(2)). Reconstructed stature of 1.84m falls at about 99% of Medieval heights, which would be ca. 1.95m in present-day Europe. Thus, tall stature indeed could have contributed to the success of "Charles the Great" as a king emperor and soldier. PMID: 20153271 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3276599 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3276599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254951&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20138016%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Tremblay CH, Grosskopf S, Yang K Although economists have analyzed earnings, unemployment, and labor force participation for those with bipolar illness, occupational choice has yet to be explored. Psychological and medical studies often suggest an association between bipolar illness and creative achievement, but they tend to focus on eminent figures, case studies, or small samples. We seek to examine occupational creativity of non-eminent individuals with bipolar disorder. We use Epidemiologic Catchment Area data to estimate a multinomial logit model matched to an index of occupational creativity. Those with bipolar illness appear to be disproportionately concentrated in the most creative occupational category. Nonparametric kernel density estimates reveal that the densities o... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254951 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3254951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3186225&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20079698%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hamermesh DS In the 2006-2007 American Time Use Survey and its Eating and Health Module over half of adults report grazing (secondary eating/drinking) on a typical day, with grazing time almost equaling primary eating/drinking time. An economic model predicts that higher wage rates (price of time) will lead to substitution of grazing for primary eating/drinking, especially by raising the number of grazing intervals relative to meals. This prediction is confirmed in these data. Eating meals more frequently is associated with lower BMI and better self-reported health, as is grazing more frequently. Food purchases are positively related to time spent eating-substitution of goods for time is difficult-but are lower when eating time is spread over more meals. PMID: 20079698 [Pu... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3186225 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3186225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3177313&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20071251%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Komlos J Height trends since World War II are analyzed using the NHANES surveys for US-born individuals stratified by gender, ethnicity and income. After stagnating or declining for nearly a generation, the height of adult white men and women began to increase among the birth cohorts of ca. 1975-1986, who reached adulthood between 1995 and 2006. The increase in their height overcame the prior downturn that lasted between ca. 1965 and 1974. The height gap between white and black men has increased by 0.43cm (0.17in.) during past decade compared to the previous quarter century, to reach 1.0cm (0.39in.). In contrast to the three other groups examined, the height of black women has been actually declining by some 1.42cm (0.56in.). Consequently, a very considerable wedge has develop... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3177313 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3177313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3164243&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20061195%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bodenhorn H Previous studies of mid-19th century American heights and body mass index values have used potentially unrepresentative groups-students in military academies, prisoners, and African Americans. This paper uses an alternative source with heights and weights of ordinary people employed in a wide variety of occupations. The results reveal the operation of the antebellum paradox in that average heights declined between men born circa 1820 and those born circa 1840. Average weights also declined for adult males, suggesting a decline in mid-19th century nutritional status. PMID: 20061195 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3164243 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3164243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3135763&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D20042381%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Classen TJ This research provides estimates of the intergenerational persistence of body mass index (BMI) between women and their children when both are at similar stages of the lifecycle. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the Young Adults of the NLSY79, associations between the weight status of women and their children are measured when both generations are between the ages of 16 and 24. In the entire sample, the measured intergenerational correlation of BMI is significantly different from zero and equal to 0.35. This result differs by gender with a BMI correlation between female children and their mothers of 0.38, compared to a significantly lower BMI correlation of 0.32 between mothers and their sons. Measures of this relationship a... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3135763 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3135763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3061607&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19959406%26dopt%3DAbstract Nutritional status and socioeconomic change among Toba and Wichí populations of the Argentinean Chaco. Econ Hum Biol. 2009 Nov 14; Authors: Valeggia CR, Burke KM, Fernandez-Duque E The prevalence of overweight and obesity is growing at an accelerated pace in disadvantaged populations. Indigenous populations all over the world, whose lifestyle is changing rapidly and drastically, seem to be particularly prone to show an increased prevalence of overweight and its co-morbidities among adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between socioeconomic and nutritional statuses in adults of two indigenous populations of the Argentine Gran Chaco: the Toba and Wichí of the province of Formosa. Originally hunter-gatherers, they are now more settled and engage ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3061607 Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3061607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3061608&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19959405%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Custodio E, Descalzo MA, Roche J, Molina L, Sánchez I, Lwanga M, Torres AM, Fernández-Zincke E, Bernis C, Villamor E, Baylin A We assess trends in children's nutritional status in Equatorial Guinea, a country in socioeconomic transition. Nationally representative samples were conducted in 1997, at the start of the economic take off, and again in 2004. Children aged 0-60 months were included in the surveys (N=436, 552). Both surveys included a sociodemographic, dietary and health questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements from which height-for-age (HAZ); weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ) Z-scores were calculated. Between 1997 and 2004, the prevalence of child overweight for all children increased from 21.8% to 31.7%, especially in urban areas (from ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3061608 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100 3061608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2935280&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19853542%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Bodenhorn H Previous studies of mid-nineteenth-century American BMI values have used data created by military academies and penitentiaries. This paper uses an alternative data set, constructed from legislative documents in which the heights and weights of New York State legislators were recorded. The results reveal that middle- to upper-middle class Americans maintained BMI values closer to the modern standard than did students and prisoners. The average BMI value among this group was 24 and their height-weight combinations did not greatly diverge from historical mortality risk optima. PMID: 19853542 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2935280 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2935280 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2887269&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19818695%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: McEvoy BP, Visscher PM Height is correlated with risk to certain diseases and various socio-economic outcomes. As an easy to observe and measure trait, it has been a classic paradigm in the emergence of fundamental concepts regarding inheritance and genetics. Resemblances in height between relatives suggest that 80% of height variation is under genetic control with the rest controlled by environmental factors such as diet and disease exposure. Nearly a century ago it was recognised that many genes were likely to be involved but it is only with recent advances in technology that it has become possible to comprehensively search the human genome for DNA variants that control height. About 50 genes and regions of the genome have been associated with height to date. These begin to ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2887269 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2887269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2887268&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19819767%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Barone A, O'Higgins N We examine the determinants of obesity and its role in influencing early school leaving amongst adolescents in the city of Salerno and its province in Southern Italy. A human capital investment model is employed and this provides a framework within which to analyse the interrelated 'decisions' regarding schooling and overeating, taking into account the importance of time preference and the differential effects of adolescent obesity for males and females. We find that: (a) there is a strong and robust positive association between obesity and early school leaving; (b) there is evidence to support the notion that this association is the consequence of a causal relation running from obesity to school leaving; and, (c) there are significant gender differences ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2887268 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2887268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858289&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19797002%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Kues AB This paper analyzes the trends in physical stature and body mass of the Swiss population born between 1955 and 1985, based on data collected in the "Living in Switzerland Survey" (Swiss Household Panel) of 2004. Aside from the time trend, we investigate the impact of educational and marital status as well as spatial effects on height and BMI. The results corroborate previous studies: average height increased during the second half of the 20th century for both women and men, better educated individuals are tallest, divorced men are shorter than married men and urban populations enjoy a height advantage over rural ones. We also compare the level and the trend in height to other postindustrial populations to identify key causes of physical growth and conclude that the qua... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858289 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2858289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2847101&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19786374%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hiermeyer M West Point cadets born in the 1880s were taller (+1.46cm) than those born in the 1860s and had significantly higher BMI values (+0.85). However, the cadets were on average undernourished by modern standards, with today's average reference values being about 5 BMI units higher than those of the cadets. Substantial regional differences existed for both height and weight. While West Point cadets born in the 1880s in the Upper South achieved on average a height of 173.2cm and a BMI of 21.0, their peers from New England were 171.5cm tall with a BMI of 21.6. PMID: 19786374 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2847101 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2847101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2847102&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19782011%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Komlos J PMID: 19782011 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2847102 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2847102 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2847103&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19782010%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Costa-Font J, Fabbri D, Gil J Wide cross-country variation in obesity rates has been reported between European Union member states. Although the existing cross-country differences have not been analyzed in depth, they contain important information on health production determinants. In this paper we apply a methodology for conducting standardized cross-country comparisons of body mass index (BMI). We draw on estimations of the marginal density function of BMI for Italy and Spain in 2003, two countries with similar GDP and socio-economic conditions. We produce different counterfactual distribution estimates using covariates (health production inputs) specified in a quantile regression. Our findings suggest that Spain-to-Italy BMI gaps among females are largely explained by cross... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2847103 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2847103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2821615&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19766067%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Godoy R, Magvanjav O, Nyberg C, Eisenberg DT, McDade TW, Leonard WR, Reyes-García V, Huanca T, Tanner S, Gravlee C, Among adults of industrial nations, growth stunting (<-2 SD height Z score) is associated with worse indicators of adult well-being (e.g., income). Does adult stunting also inflict private costs in traditional societies? Adult stunting penalties or height premiums might only emerge when traditional societies modernize. Here we estimate the association between adult stunting and indicators of adult well-being using data from a panel study in progress among the Tsimane', a foraging-farming society of native Amazonians in Bolivia. Subjects included 248 women and 255 men >/=age 22 measured annually during 5 consecutive years (2002-2006). Nine outcomes (we... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2821615 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2821615 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2797281&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19748839%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Lakdawalla D, Philipson T This paper presents a dynamic theory of body weight and develops its implications. We argue that technological change has induced weight growth by making home- and market-production more sedentary and by lowering food prices through agricultural innovation. In addition, we illustrate that, while exercise and food intake are complements, reductions in exercise will always raise optimal body weight, as will increases in food intake. We also characterize how body weight varies with income, both within a country, and across countries. Within a country, income may have an inverted U-shaped relationship with body weight, due to the offsetting effects of the demand for food, and the demand for an ideal body weight. This can have important implications for th... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2797281 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2797281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2770452&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19729352%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Burkhauser RV, Cawley J, Schmeiser MD There are several ways to measure fatness and obesity, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The primary measure for tracking the prevalence of obesity has historically been body mass index (BMI). This paper compares long-run trends in the prevalence of obesity when obesity is defined using skinfold thickness instead of BMI, using data from the full series of U.S. National Health Examination Surveys. The results indicate that when one uses skinfold thickness rather than BMI to define obesity, the rise in the prevalence of obesity is detectable 10-20 years earlier. This underscores the importance of examining multiple measures of fatness when monitoring or otherwise studying obesity. PMID: 19729352 [PubMed - as supplied by publish... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2770452 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2770452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2735009&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19699158%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hiermeyer M 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 5.5cm taller than their peers 43 years ago and about 12.5cm 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. PMID: 19699158 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Huma... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2735009 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2735009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2702998&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19679519%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baynouna LM, Revel AD, Nagelkerke NJ, Jaber TM, Omar AO, Ahmed NM, Naziruldeen MK, Al Sayed MF, Nour FA, Abdouni S Correlation between cycles in human stature and those in economic variables is well established. A recent review of international trends in this area provided information from most parts of the world but none on Arabs in the Middle East or more specifically the gulf region. The United Arab Emirates experienced a transformation in economic and social life followed the discovery of oil in the late 1960s and the wealth that it generated. No data is available on human growth at this period of time because its population never had health services prior to the 1970s. A study on conventional cardiovascular risk factors in 2004-2005 included 817 randomly selected national... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2702998 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2702998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2682295&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19660996%26dopt%3DAbstract This study re-examines these relationships using data from China, the largest consumer and manufacturer of tobacco in the world that is also experiencing a steady rise in obesity rates. We focus on the impact of the total number of cigarettes smoked per day on individuals' body mass index (BMI) and on the likelihood of being overweight and obese. Instrumental variables estimation is used to correct for the endogeneity of cigarette smoking. We find a moderate negative and significant relationship between cigarette smoking and BMI. Smoking is also negatively related to being overweight and obese, but the marginal effects are small and statistically insignificant for being obese. Quantile regression analyses reveal that the association between smoking and BMI is quite weak among subjects whos... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2682295 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2682295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2668345&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19647498%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hakobyan M, Yepiskoposyan L In this paper we analyse infant mortality in Armenia in terms of not only its socio-economic and geographic distribution but also changes in its age structure. Primary data on live births and infant deaths recorded in the official statistics and data of "Armenia Demographic and Health Survey 2005" are studied. We find that the socio-economically disadvantaged portion of the Armenian population is at a significantly increased risk of infant mortality; that geographically the mortality risk is unequally distributed, and is highest in the poorest region, Shirak; and that the recorded decline in infant mortality is due entirely to a decline in post-neonatal mortality, with neonatal deaths currently accounting for more than 75% of infant mortality as a w... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2668345 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2668345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2640077&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19628438%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Batty GD, Shipley MJ, Gunnell D, Huxley R, Kivimaki M, Woodward M, Lee CM, Smith GD This overview, based on a literature review and new data from the three cohorts (Whitehall Studies I and II, and the Vietnam Experience Study), has four objectives: (a) to outline the major determinants of height, so providing an indication as to what exposures this characteristic may capture; (b) to summarise, by reviewing reports from large scale studies, the relation between adult height and a range of disease outcomes - both somatic and psychiatric - with particular emphasis on coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke; (c) to discuss why these relationships may exist, in particular, the role, if any, of socioeconomic position in explaining the apparent associations; and, finally (d) to outli... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2640077 Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2640077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2627194&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19617009%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hübler O Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article investigates the relationship between height and wages by gender. Unlike previous investigations, which have been limited to an examination of linear effects, this one finds that height influences on wages are curvilinear, and more so for men than for women. More specifically, it finds that women who are shorter than average and men who are somewhat taller than average, but not among the tallest, enjoy significant wage advantages. Furthermore, using Blinder's decomposition to determine two components of wage differences, we find that these differences can be partitioned into an endowment component and unexplained influences (discrimination). There is a difference between the public and private sectors... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2627194 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2627194 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2627195&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19617008%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: de Saint Pol T Although France is less affected by the rise in obesity than neighboring countries, the prevalence of obesity has increased, changing the distribution of this pathology in the population. We analyze this evolution by social status, education, income and gender, region of residence, using the three French national Health Surveys conducted in 1981, 1992 and 2003. The average body weight of both women and men has increased in France since 1981 and accelerated since the 1990s. This trend is obtained among all age groups. Nevertheless, this process did not affect all socioeconomic groups similarly. Geographical differences increased between north-east, where the prevalence of obesity is higher, and the Mediterranean region, where it is lower. Likewise, the gap betwee... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2627195 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2627195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602611&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19596614%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Deaton A, Arora R According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index daily poll of the US population, taller people live better lives, at least on average. They evaluate their lives more favorably, and they are more likely to report a range of positive emotions such as enjoyment and happiness. They are also less likely to report a range of negative experiences, like sadness, and physical pain, though they are more likely to experience stress and anger, and if they are women, to worry. These findings cannot be attributed to different demographic or ethnic characteristics of taller people, but are almost entirely explained by the positive association between height and both income and education, both of which are positively linked to better lives. PMID: 19596614 [PubMed - a... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602611 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2602611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556703&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19560988%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Stifel DC, Averett SL The prevalence of overweight children in the United States has increased dramatically over the past two decades, and is creating well-known public health problems. Moreover, there is also evidence that children who are not overweight are becoming heavier. We use quantile regression models along with standard ordinary least squares (OLS) models to explore the correlates of childhood weight status and overweight as measured by the Body Mass Index (BMI). This approach allows the effects of covariates to vary depending on where in the BMI distribution a child is located. Our results indicate that OLS masks some of the important correlates of child BMI at the upper and lower tails of the weight distribution. For example, mother's education has no effect on bla... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556703 Fri, 22 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2556703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556702&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19560989%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Van de Poel E, O'Donnell O, Van Doorslaer E We quantify, track and explain the distribution of overweight and of hypertension across Chinese provinces differentiated by their degree of urbanicity over the period 1991-2004. We construct an index of urbanicity from longitudinal data on community characteristics from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and compute, for the first time, a rank-based measure of inequality in disease risk factors by degree of urbanicity. Prevalence rates of overweight and hypertension almost doubled between 1991 and 2004 and these disease risk factors became less concentrated in more urbanized areas. Decomposition analysis reveals that one-half of the urbanicity-related inequality in overweight is directly attributable to community level characteri... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556702 Fri, 22 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2556702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547206&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19540176%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zagorsky JL, Smith PK Obesity poses substantial costs both to the individual and society, mainly through its impact on health and labor productivity. Because obesity is more prevalent among the poor some have raised concerns that food assistance programs may encourage excess weight. This paper investigates whether the U.S. Food Stamp Program contributes to adult participants' weight as measured by body mass index (BMI). Results suggest that the typical female food stamp participant's BMI is indeed more than 1 unit higher than someone with the same socioeconomic characteristics who is not in the program. For the average American woman, who is 5ft 4in. (1.63m) tall, this means an increase in weight of 5.8pounds (2.6kg). While this association does not prove that the Food Stamp P... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547206 Fri, 22 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547209&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19497794%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Theodossiou I, Zangelidis A Using data on individuals aged between 50 and 65 from 6 European countries, this study investigates the effect of absolute income and subjective social status assessment on health in the light of medical evidence indicating that the individual's position in the social hierarchy undermines his/her mental and physical health. The paper shows that individuals' own income has a positive, but modest effect on health. Importantly, subjective social status assessment has a significant effect on all health measurements. Finally, the results show that individuals from deprived families (when at the age of 14) have poorer physical and mental health. PMID: 19497794 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547209 Wed, 13 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547208&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19497795%26dopt%3DAbstract We describe trends and features of adolescent BMI in a nationally representative dataset and document correlations in weight gain among peers. We find strong correlations between own body mass index (BMI) and peers' BMI's. Though the correlations are especially strong in the upper ends of the BMI distribution, the relationship is smooth and holds over almost the entire range of adolescent BMI. Furthermore, the results are robust to the inclusion of school fixed effects and basic controls for other confounding factors such as race, sex, and age. Some recent research in this area considers whether or not adolescent weight gain is caused by peers. We discuss the econometric issues in plausibly estimating such effects while accounting for growth spurts and difficulties in defining adolescent o... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547208 Wed, 13 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547207&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19523889%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Choi SJ, Schwekendiek D This paper uses human stature as a biological indicator of living standards in colonial Korea (1910-1945). We show that the average height of adult Koreans increased from the beginning to the end of Japanese rule from about 164 to 166cm. Height increased slightly before 1910 and dramatically after 1945, but during occupation declined slightly for a few years, only to rise rapidly through the late 1920s, and then stagnated until liberation. This finding is corroborated by a similar study of the Taiwanese under Japanese rule. The deterioration in the growth rates of both peoples from about 1930 to 1945 may be due to the deterioration of living conditions in the two colonies, victims of Japan's economic depression of 1927 and then of austerity measures as ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547207 Mon, 04 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547213&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19451039%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Murasko JE The substantial increase in the prevalence of child obesity over recent decades and its association with a number of negative health and economic outcomes suggests its strong potential as an influence on the lifecourse development of health and productivity. This paper evaluates interactive effects between family socioeconomic status (SES) and height on child obesity in the United States. Using the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), the results of this paper confirm previous findings that taller children exhibit greater propensity towards obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI) and that obesity is inversely related to family SES as measured by poverty status. The analysis adds to the existing literature by showing that the mag... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547213 Sat, 02 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547211&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19464239%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cardoso HF, Caninas M Data on the physical growth of children can provide useful information about the temporal changes in the economic conditions of the society in which they live and the extent of social inequalities within that society as well. Several studies have documented secular changes in the physical growth of children or of adult height, but seldom have the socioeconomic differences in secular trend been reported. The aim of this study is to examine differences in the secular trend of height, weight and BMI of 10-16-year-old boys enrolled in two schools of opposite socioeconomic makeup in Lisbon, Portugal, in the early and late 20th century. The samples from the upper-middle class come from the Colégio Militar, a military boarding school, and the lower-class sa... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547211 Sat, 02 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547212&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19451040%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baten J, Pelger I, Twrdek L This anthropometric study focuses on the histories of three important Latin American countries - Brazil, Peru, and Argentina - during the 19th century, and tests hypotheses concerning their welfare trends. While non-farm Brazil and Lima, Peru, started at relatively low height levels, Brazil made substantial progress in nutritional levels from the 1860s to the 1880s. In contrast, Lima remained at low levels. Argentinean men were tall to begin with, but heights stagnated until 1910. The only exception were farmers and landowners, who benefited from the export boom. PMID: 19451040 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547212 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547214&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19447690%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Rees DI, Sabia JJ, Argys LM Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examine the effect of adolescent height on mental health as measured by Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scores and Rosenberg Self-Esteem (RSE) scores. We find evidence that height is associated with fewer symptoms of depression among females 17-19 years of age, and among males 12-19 years of age. The negative relationship between height and depression among males persists after controlling for body mass index (BMI), differences in pubertal timing, and individual fixed effects, but does not explain the effect of height on educational attainment. We conclude that there is a small psychological benefit for males to being taller as an adolescent. PMID: 194... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547214 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547210&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19464240%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cawley J, Han E, Norton EC This paper studies the association between weight and labor market outcomes among legal immigrants to the United States from developing countries using the first nationally representative survey of such individuals. We find that being overweight or obese is associated with a lower probability of employment among women who have been in the U.S. less than five years, but we find no such correlation among men who have been in the U.S. less than five years, or among women or men who have been in the U.S. longer than five years. We generally find no significant association between weight and either wages, sector of employment, or work limitations for either women or men. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed. PMID: 19464240 [PubMed - ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547210 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2547215&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19395326%26dopt%3DAbstract We examined secular changes in mean age at menarche among 5577 Colombian women born between 1941 and 1989, and correlated those changes with nation-wide rates of homicide and real gross domestic product per capita (GDP) at the year of birth and at the year at age 5, within predefined historical periods. The mean (standard error) rate of change in age at menarche by year of birth was -0.55 (0.02) years/decade. The rate of change was not constant, but varied between historical periods as follows: -1.44, -0.14, -0.60, and -0.36 years/decade for the periods 1941-1947, 1948-1958, 1959-1978, and 1979-1989, respectively. The changes in age at menarche correlated positively with the changes in the nation-wide rates of homicide within such periods; i.e. decelerations in the menarcheal trend coincid... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2547215 Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2547215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2324296&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19303824%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Carson SA A limited amount of research has been done on the body mass index values of 19th century Americans. This paper uses Texas prison records to demonstrate that, in contrast to today's distributions, most BMI values were in the normal range. Only 21.5% and 1.2% of the population was overweight or obese, while today comparable figures are 36% and 23%. There was also little change in BMI values between 1876 and 1919. Farmers were consistently heavier than non-farmers, while Southwestern men had lower BMI values than their counterparts from other regions of the US. BMI values indicate that 19th century African-Americans, and whites populations were well fed in spite of large expenditures on energy. PMID: 19303824 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Economics and Human Biolog... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2324296 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2324296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2283225&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19299213%26dopt%3DAbstract This study investigates the associations between body mass index (BMI), socio-economic status (SES) and related socio-behavioral practices including marriage and market visits in a population of adult Tz'utujil Maya women in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala, aged 18-82. Mixed qualitative and quantitative methods include cross-sectional anthropometric measurements and semi-structured interviews gathered in 2007, as well as participant observation and purposive interviews conducted in 2007-2008. The regional quota sample of 53 semi-structured interviews was designed to be representative of the cantones (municipal divisions) of Santiago Atitlán. BMI was positively associated with years of schooling, income and literacy, all measures of SES. A statistical analysis of our data indicates th... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2283225 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2283225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2273083&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19285929%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baten J What determined regional height differences in the 19th century? We compare anthropometric evidence with production estimates of different food products and other economic variables. To this end, we concentrate on 179 rural regions and 29 towns in Bavaria (Southeast Germany). This regionally disaggregated level of analysis enables us to study the influence of the local supply of different food products on the nutritional status of the population, among which milk turned out particularly important. This result is tested and confirmed with regional data from Prussia and France. PMID: 19285929 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2273083 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2273083 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2241232&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19261549%26dopt%3DAbstract This study examines the relationship of linear growth restriction at 2 years of age to work status in young adults who have, for the most part completed their schooling and further explores whether this relationship differs by gender. The analysis sample of 1795 was drawn from participants in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, which followed individuals from birth to age 20-22 years. Work status in 2005 was represented by three categories: not working, working in an informal job, and working in a formal job. Formal work in the Philippines, as in most countries, is associated with regular hours, higher wages and benefits. Analyses were stratified by gender and current school enrolment, and adjusted for socioeconomic status and attained years of schooling. Among males no long... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2241232 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2241232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2233414&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19249259%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Johansson E, Böckerman P, Kiiskinen U, Heliövaara M This paper examines the relationship between obesity and labour market success in Finland, using various indicators of individual body composition along with body mass index (BMI). Weight, height, fat mass and waist circumference are measured by health professionals. We find that only waist circumference has a negative association with wages for women, whereas no obesity measure is significant in the linear wage models for men. However, all measures of obesity are negatively associated with women's employment probability and fat mass is negatively associated with men's employment probability. We also find that the use of categories for waist circumference and fat mass has a substantial influence on the results. For ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2233414 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2233414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2233413&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19251490%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Flynn JR The hypothesis that enhanced nutrition is mainly responsible for massive IQ gains over time borrows plausibility from the height gains of the 20th century. However, evidence shows that the two trends are largely independent. A detailed analysis of IQ trends on the Raven's Progressive Matrices tests in Britain dramatizes the poverty of the nutrition hypothesis. A multiple factor hypothesis that operates on three levels is offered as an alternative instrument of causal explanation. The Raven's data show that over the 65 years from circa 1942 to the present, taking ages 5-15 together, British school children have gained 14 IQ points for a rate of 0.216 points per year. However, since 1979, gains have declined with age and between the ages of 12-13 and 14-15, small gains ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2233413 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2233413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222804&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19246259%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: García Villar J, Quintana-Domeque C The problem of obesity is alarming public health authorities around the world. Therefore, it is important to study its determinants. In this paper, we explore the empirical relationship between household income and body mass index (BMI) in nine European Union countries. Our findings suggest that, in general, the association is negative for women and nonexistent for men. Moreover, once we decompose household income into "own labor earnings" and "other household income", we find that the different relationship for men and women appears to be driven by the negative relationship between BMI and "own labor earnings" for women. PMID: 19246259 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222804 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2222804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222803&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19246260%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Jehn M, Brewis A As economic development and urbanization proceed globally, the coexistence of under- and over-nutrition within the same household, sometimes termed 'paradoxical' or 'dual burden' malnutrition is increasingly being reported. We used Demographic and Health Survey data sets from 18 lower and middle income countries to explore paradoxical forms of malnutrition (maternal overweight with child underweight or stunting) in mother-child pairs. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of discordant pairs after adjusting for a number of important covariates. Several factors were significantly associated with an increased relative odds of discordant mother-child pairs, including working in subsistence agriculture, low levels of maternal education, mor... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222803 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2222803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2216868&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19231301%26dopt%3DAbstract This study examines the importance of food prices and restaurant and food store outlet availability for child body mass index (BMI). We use the 1998, 2000 and 2002 waves of the child-mother merged files from the 1979 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth combined with fruit and vegetable and fast food price data obtained from the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association and outlet density data on fast food and full-service restaurants and supermarkets, grocery stores and convenience stores obtained from Dun & Bradstreet. Using a random effects estimation model, we found that a 10% increase in the price of fruits and vegetables was associated with a 0.7% increase in child BMI. Fast food prices were not found to be statistically significant in the full sample bu... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2216868 Sat, 24 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2216868 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2188136&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19213617%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Doyle O, Harmon CP, Heckman JJ, Tremblay RE Policy discussions to ameliorate socioeconomic (SES) inequalities are increasingly focused on investments in early childhood. Yet such interventions are costly to implement, and clear evidence on the optimal time to intervene to yield a high economic and social return in the future is meagre. The majority of successful early childhood interventions start in the preschool years. However socioeconomic gradients in cognitive skills, socio-emotional functioning and health can be observed by age three, suggesting that preventative programmes starting earlier in childhood may be even more effective. We discuss the optimal timing of early childhood intervention with reference to recent research in developmental neuroscience. We motivate the... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2188136 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2188136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167823&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19195937%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Aschoff D, Hiermeyer M Using information from passports, we show that average height of Jewish men in the German Principality of Salm in 1802-1807 was about 155.4cm, and thus well below the contemporary European average. PMID: 19195937 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167823 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2167823 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167822&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19195938%26dopt%3DAbstract This study employs South Korean data published by the Korean Research Institute for Standards and Science in 1997 and by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards in 2004, comparing them to North Korean data stemming from the 1997 and 2002 nutritional surveys conducted by the United Nations. Furthermore, this article makes use of anthropometric measurements of North Korean refugee children immigrating to South Korea from 2000 to 2007. In 1997, South Korean preschool children were found on average to be 6-7cm (2-3in.) taller and about 3kg (6.6 pounds) heavier than their Northern counterparts; in 2002, the average gap was about 8cm (3in.) and 3kg (6.6 pounds), and the BMI gap was about 1. North Korean boys and girls escaping to South Korea were also found to be on average about 3-4cm (1... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167822 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2167822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2052983&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19091636%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Christian T, Rashad I The potential effect that food prices may have on the health of the U.S. population needs to be further explored, particularly in light of the rising food prices currently being observed. Declining food prices over time have been singled out as a main contributor, for example, to the rising trend in obesity. In this paper we use data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association, the Consumer Expenditure Survey, and the United States Department of Agriculture to analyze trends in various types of food prices, to create a food price index, and to estimate the price of a calorie. Results may be used by future researchers in estimating the health implications of these trends. We find that while the general tren... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2052983 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +0100 2052983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027434&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D19059012%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Wehby GL, Murray JC, Castilla EE, Lopez-Camelo JS, Ohsfeldt RL Our objective was to identify determinants of prenatal care demand and evaluate the effects of this demand on low birth weight and preterm birth. Delay in initiating prenatal care was modeled as a function of pregnancy risk indicators, enabling factors, and regional characteristics. Conditional maximum likelihood (CML) estimation was used to model self-selection into prenatal care use when estimating its effectiveness. Birth registry data was collected post delivery on infants with and without common birth defects born in 1995-2002 in Argentina using a standard procedure. Several maternal health and fertility indicators had significant effects on prenatal care use. In the group without birth defects, prenatal care ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027434 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 2027434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1952188&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18993121%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Greve J This paper analyzes the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and employment status and wages. The analysis uses a unique data set from a Danish panel survey from 1995 and 2000, combined with administrative registers, covering 8000 individuals. Results show a negative effect of BMI on employment for women and an inverted u-shaped effect for men. Results further indicate that in the private sector BMI has a negative effect on wages for women but an inverted u-shaped effect on wages for men, whereas results from the public sector show that BMI has no influence on wages for either men or women. PMID: 18993121 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1952188 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1952188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826002&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18809362%26dopt%3DAbstract We present analyses of 19th-century Bavarian conscript records, which cover the whole male population at age 21 and which are unusually rich in content. They include not only occupations of the conscripts, but that of the parents alike, and also the wealth of the conscripts, other family characteristics and their diseases at the time of the conscription. This enables us to investigate the relationship between the conscripts' and the parents' socioeconomic status as well as their effects on the height of the conscripts. Overall, the conscripts' occupations match that of their parents rather well, and deviations can mainly be attributed to their young age. However, we also find significant height differences between the occupational groups of the conscripts even after controlling for the par... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826002 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1826002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1798346&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18789776%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Schwekendiek D North Korea has survived the breakdown of the communist bloc and has been immune to the democratization process of the 1990s. In spite of national famines and economic collapse, the totalitarian regime in Pyongyang maintains a firm grip on its power. Reliable information on the population's biosocial welfare is scarce. Using height and weight data of 5991 North Korean pre-school children measured in 2002, we investigate determinants of height-for-age z-score (HAZ), weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ) as an indicator for child health. We find a statistically significant impact of the age of the child and of the mother, as well as the sex of the child on HAZ and WAZ. In contrast, social status and wealth proxies at the individual and h... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1798346 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1798346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1779483&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18773873%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Monheit AC, Vistnes JP, Rogowski JA We consider a compelling research question raised by the growing prevalence of overweight among adolescents: do overweight adolescents incur greater health care expenditures than adolescents of normal weight? To address this question, we use data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and estimate a two-part, generalized linear model (GLM) of health spending. Considering separate models by gender, we find that overweight females incur $790 more in annual expenditures than those of normal weight but we find no expenditure differences by bodyweight for males. We find that mental health spending is associated with part of the disparity in expenditures for adolescent females but establishing causality between mental health problems and... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1779483 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1779483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1746637&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18753017%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Saint Onge JM, Krueger PM, Rogers RG We employ a unique dataset of Major League Baseball (MLB) players - a select, healthy population - to examine trends in height, weight, and body mass in birth cohorts from 1869 to 1983. Over that 115-year time period, U.S. born MLB players have gained, on average, approximately 3in. (7.6cm) in height and 27.0lb (12.2kg) in weight, which has contributed a 1.6-unit increase in the body mass index. Where comparable data are available, U.S. born MLB players are about 2.0in. (5.1cm) taller and 20.0lb (9.1kg) heavier but substantially less obese than males in the general U.S. population. But both groups exhibit similar height and weight trends; the majority of height and weight gains take place in cohorts that were born prior to World War II, fol... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1746637 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1746637 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1746638&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18723412%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Foraita R, Klasen S, Pigeot I Undernutrition among children is one of the most important health problems in developing countries. In order to understand the complex pathways affecting undernutrition which is crucial for policy interventions, one needs to explicitly model the dependence chain of immediate, intermediate, and underlying factors affecting undernutrition. Graphical chain models are used here to investigate the determinants of undernutrition in Benin and Bangladesh. While the dependence chain affecting undernutrition contains many common elements, the influence of demographic, cultural, and socioeconomic factors seems to have stronger direct and indirect influences in Benin than in Bangladesh, where many socioeconomic and gender related factors have a more direct in... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1746638 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1746638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1746636&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18753018%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Averett SL, Sikora A, Argys LM Recent increases in the incidence of obesity and declines in marriage have prompted policymakers to implement policies to mitigate these trends. This paper examines the link between these two outcomes. There are four hypotheses (selection, protection, social obligation and marriage market) that might explain the relationship between marital status transitions and changes in Body Mass Index (BMI). The selection hypothesis suggests that those with a lower BMI are more likely to be selected into marriage. The protection hypothesis states that married adults will have better physical health as a result of the increased social support and reduced incidence of risky behavior among married individuals. The social obligation hypothesis states that those ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1746636 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1746636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1683240&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18676210%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Yang Z, Bishai D, Harman J There has been ongoing debate about the health risks associated with increased body weight among the elderly population. One issue has not been investigated thoroughly is that body weight changes over time, as both the reasons and results of, the development of chronic diseases and functional disabilities. Structural models have the ability to unravel the complicated simultaneous relationship between body weight, disability, and mortality along the aging process. Using longitudinal data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey from 1992 to 2001, we constructed a structural model to estimate the longitudinal dynamic relationship between weight, chronic diseases, functional status, and mortality among the aging population. A simulation of an age co... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1683240 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1683240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1675032&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18672412%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Renna F, Grafova IB, Thakur N Using the first wave of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) survey, this paper examines the influence of peers on adolescent weight. A peer group is defined as a close circle of friends that are identified by a respondent adolescent. After controlling for school fixed effects and for a number of individual, demographic and family characteristics, we find that a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) of close friends is correlated to a higher BMI of the respondent adolescent. However, after instrumental variable analysis is performed, the effect remains significant only among women. We also found that adolescents are more responsive to the body weight of their same gender friends. PMID: 18672412 [PubMed - as supplied by publ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1675032 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1675032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664484&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18656430%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Hiermeyer M Following German re-unification, East Germany moved from a state-socialist to a market-based economic system. Using West Germany as a "control group", we examine how the change affected the level and the equality of the biological standard of living. We find that before unification, East Germany had a lower but somewhat more equally distributed biological standard of living than the West. After unification, East Germany rapidly caught up in terms of height but at the expense of equality. This suggests that a trade-off exists between a high and an equally distributed biological standard of living. Unlike previous research, we find that West Germany's pre-unification height advantage was smallest in towns with 5000-20,000 inhabitants and largest in cities with 20,000... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664484 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1664484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664483&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18657487%26dopt%3DAbstract CONCLUSION: Compared to a 'no intervention' control group, the intervention was cost-effective under current assumptions, although the uncertainty intervals were wide. A key question related to the long-term sustainability of the small incremental weight loss reported, based on the 9-month follow-up results for LEAP. PMID: 18657487 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664483 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1664483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1631299&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18619930%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Cawley J Several recent surveys have asked Americans whether they support policies to reduce childhood obesity. There is reason for skepticism of such surveys because people are not confronted with the tax costs of such policies when they are asked whether they support them. This paper uses contingent valuation (CV), a method frequently used to estimate people's willingness to pay (WTP) for goods or services not transacted in markets, applied to unique survey data from New York State to estimate the willingness to pay to reduce childhood obesity. The willingness to pay data correlate in predictable ways with respondent characteristics. The mean WTP for a 50% reduction in childhood obesity is $46.41 (95% CI: $33.45, $59.15), which implies a total WTP by New York State residents... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631299 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1631299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1596633&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18602351%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ackerson LK, Kawachi I, Barbeau EM, Subramanian SV We investigated the geographic distribution and the relationship with neighborhood wealth of underweight and overweight in India. Using multilevel modeling techniques, we calculated state-specific smoothed shrunken state residuals of overweight and underweight, neighborhood and state variation of nutritional status, and the relationships between neighborhood wealth and nutritional status of 76,681 women living in 3204 neighborhoods in 26 Indian states. We found a substantial variation in overweight and underweight at the neighborhood and state levels, net of what could be attributed to individual-level factors. Neighborhood wealth was associated with increased levels of overweight and decreased levels of underweight, and was f... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1596633 Wed, 28 May 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1596633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1596632&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18603490%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Linnemayr S, Alderman H, Ka A The relationship between poverty and nutrition is a two-sided one: on the one hand, economic growth (which is generally associated with an eradication of poverty) leads to reduced malnutrition. On the other hand, nutrition is one of the key ingredients for human capital formation, which in turn represents one of the fundamental factors of growth. There are numerous studies that show the correlates of malnutrition using both household- and community-level variables. However, few of these studies allow for the potential endogeneity of community infrastructure or indicate their interplay with characteristics of the mother. The current study considers the socio-economic determinants of child malnutrition and investigates how programs compensate for th... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1596632 Wed, 14 May 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1596632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1554533&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18499539%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Maloney TN, Carson SA The use of height data to measure living standards is now a well-established method in the economic history literature. Moreover, a number of core findings are widely agreed upon. There are still some populations, places, and times, however, for which anthropometric evidence remains limited. One such example is 19th century African-Americans in the Northern US. Here, we use new data from the Ohio state prison to track heights of Black and White men incarcerated between 1829 and 1913. We corroborate the well-known mid-century height decline among White men. We find that Black men were shorter than White men, throughout the century controlling for a number of characteristics. We also find a pattern of height decline among Black men in mid-century similar to... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554533 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1554533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1446323&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18479985%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Leonard WR, Godoy R The Tsimane' Amazonian Panel Study (TAPS) is making available the first five years (2002-2006, inclusive) of annual socioeconomic, demographic, and anthropometric data available to the public. The information comes from a foraging-farming society of native Amazonians in Bolivia and includes 13 villages, 332 households, and 1985 people who have been tracked annually since 2002. The article provides a brief overview of the data covered and the steps needed to access the data. PMID: 18479985 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1446323 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1446323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1439851&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18468498%26dopt%3DAbstract The objective of these analyses was to estimate the strength and direction of secular trends in adult height and childhood socioeconomic circumstances in eight towns in three Eastern European countries in the mid-20th century, and to assess the extent to which childhood conditions might explain the height differences. We used cross-sectional data from the baseline survey of the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study, conducted in 2002-2005. The study examined 24,012 men and women born between 1933 and 1957, randomly selected from the general populations of Novosibirsk (Russia), Krakow (Poland) and six towns of the Czech Republic. To allow for age-related height loss we estimated maximum attained height. Parental education and household item ownership at a... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1439851 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1439851 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1251150&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18280227%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Islam MK, Gerdtham UG, Gullberg B, Lindström M, Merlo J We conceptualize social capital as an aggregate factor affecting health production and analyze the effect of community social capital (CSC) externalities on individual mortality risk in Sweden. The study was based on a random sample from the adult Swedish population of approximately 95,000 individuals who were followed up for 4-21 years. Two municipality-level variables - registered election participation rate and registered crime rate - were used to be a proxy for CSC. The impact of CSC on mortality was estimated with an extended Cox model, controlling for the initial health status and a number of individual characteristics. The results indicate that both proxies of CSC were associated with individual risk from all-... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1251150 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:02:48 +0100 1251150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146587&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18187373%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Baltzer M, Baten J Which variables determine whether a country chooses an open or protected market? It has been argued that economic downturn leads to a higher propensity for protectionism. We find for seven Latin American countries in the second half of the 20th century that declining GDP motivated the opening wave, especially during the 1980s. Moreover, inequality could play a role, either in favor of "opening", as Stolper-Samuelson models would predict, or in favor of closing, as recent empirical studies found that open periods were associated with higher inequality. Using anthropometric indicators, we find that inequality in general tended to motivate "closing", whereas inequality did not stimulate opening. PMID: 18187373 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Ec... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146587 Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1146587 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1076605&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18060848%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Costa-Font J, Gil J We examine the influence of socio-environmental (and birth cohort specific) effects on both adult height and gender dimorphism (height gap). Our data set is from contemporary Spain, a country governed by an authoritarian regime for about 40 years. Both OLS and quantile regression approaches are used to examine these patterns. Furthermore, we then draw upon a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition approach to explain the influence of socio-political environment in explaining gender dimorphism. Our findings point to a significant increase in adult height in the generations that benefited from the country's economic liberalization in the 1950s, and especially among those brought up after the transition to democracy in the 1970s. In contrast, individual heterogeneity sug... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1076605 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1076605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1076606&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18054295%26dopt%3DAbstract This study utilizes the 1984-2005 samples of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in estimating trends in height over time by gender and race, and in analyzing the relationship between height and physical health and labor market outcomes in the United States. Trends show that height has not changed substantially at a time when physical health, as indicated by the incidence of obesity, Type II diabetes, and cholesterol, has deteriorated, and earnings disparities across racial gaps persist. Results at mean values for males indicate that being 10cm taller is associated with a 14-47% increase in obesity, an 8-13% reduction in cholesterol prevalence, and a $1874-2306 income premium. For females, results indicate that being 10cm taller is associated with an 8-18% reduction in cholester... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1076606 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1076606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1041672&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D18024220%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Mahal A, Karan AK Linear programming methods, indicators of nutritional adequacy from the Indian Council of Medical Research and household expenditure survey data from the National Sample Survey Organization were used to construct poverty lines for India. Poverty ratios were calculated for 1993-1994 and 1999-2000 on the basis of nutritional adequacy poverty lines and compared to official estimates of poverty based on energy requirements. Nutritional adequacy poverty lines are higher than official poverty lines, particularly in rural areas. The application of nutritional adequacy poverty lines points to greater rural-urban poverty differences than in official estimates. Declines in rural poverty during the 1990s were also slower under the nutritional adequacy definition, especi... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1041672 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 1041672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=974493&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17950678%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Shlomowitz R Using military and prisoner measurements, a number of scholars have concluded that there was a decline of the mean height of Australian-born men in the late nineteenth century. This paper offers an evaluation of these studies and suggests that further research is needed to determine the Australian height trend in the late nineteenth century. PMID: 17950678 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=974493 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 974493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=945466&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17928279%26dopt%3DAbstract CONCLUSIONS: Although taller stature indicates better heath potential in terms of low mood and CHD, this potential is eliminated by economic disadvantage in later life. Indeed, taller stature is associated with an increased risk among those who experience economic disadvantage. Possible explanations are that childhood adversity reducing height may confer resilience against some forms of adult adversity. Alternatively, as taller stature signals greater childhood advantage, then financial adversity may represent a form of disappointment among this group: the disappointment paradox. PMID: 17928279 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=945466 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 945466 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=945465&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17928280%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Ulijaszek SJ Obesity in Eastern Europe has been linked to privilege and status prior to the collapse of communism, and to exposure to free-market economics after it. Neither formulation is a complete explanation, and it is useful to examine the potential value of other models of population obesity for the understanding of this phenomenon. These include those of: thrifty genotypes; obesogenic behaviour; obesogenic environments; nutrition transition; obesogenic culture; and biocultural interactions of genetics, environment, behaviour and culture. At the broadest level, obesity emerges from the interaction of thrifty genotype with obesogenic environment. However, defining obesogenic environments remains problematic, especially in relation to sociocultural factors. Furthermore, si... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=945465 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 945465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=945464&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17928281%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Chrzanowska M, Koziel S, Ulijaszek SJ The aim of this study is to examine changes in prevalence of overweight and obesity, using International Obesity Task Force criteria, in three cohorts of children and youth living in Cracow, Poland, in 1971, 1983 and 2000. Rates of overweight and obesity doubled among boys and girls, from 7.5% and 6.5% in 1971, to 15.2% and 11.8% in the year 2000. The greatest increases in prevalence occurred in the youngest age groups (7-12 years for boys and 7-10 years for girls), increases being less extensive among adolescents, and lowest of all in the oldest age groups (16-18 years in boys and 14-18 years in girls). The absence of a positive secular trend in BMI among adolescent females relative to males may be due to sociocultural pressures associate... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=945464 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 945464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=936985&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17920000%26dopt%3DAbstract CONCLUSIONS: Transition, despite the many benefits it has undoubtedly conferred to the population living in the Region, has also entailed the collateral damage of a fast growing obesity challenge. Policy-makers in the new and candidate EU countries as well as other countries of the European Region can learn from the negative Western European and global experience, act now to stem the obesity epidemic from further developing and in so doing, reduce the substantial economic losses associated with obesity. Local, national and international strategies will be needed to combat the problem. PMID: 17920000 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Economics and Human Biology) Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=936985 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 936985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=936984&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17921075%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Veiga P The prevalence for excessive weight has also been increasing dramatically in Portugal over the last decades. The consequences for families as well as for the publicly funded Portuguese health care system are a matter of policy interest. This paper uses an econometric model to compute the fraction of the national out-of-pocket health care expenditures attributable to overweight and obesity among Portuguese adults. Given that public health care system pays for a substantial share of the national health care expenditures, the estimated the out-of-pocket expenditures is only a share of the total expenditures. Per-capita expenditures and the burden that obesity and overweight impose on families are also estimated. Two waves of the Portuguese National Health Survey (NHS), na... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=936984 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 936984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=839013&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17766203%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Vignerová J, Humeníkova L, Brabec M, Riedlová J, Bláha P The Czech Republic has undergone rapid political, social, and economic transformation since the late 1980s. While obesity rates among children and adolescents in the Czech Republic have been previously relatively low, this has changed in recent years. Across the past 50 years, body weight, body mass index (BMI)-for-age, and adiposity rebound (AR) (the time when a child reaches the lowest BMI before their BMI gradually begins to increase until adulthood) occurs earlier. The most dramatic changes have been observed among school-aged children, where BMI values have increased at the 50th, 90th, and 97th percentiles. In contrast, adolescent girls appear to be thinner than in the past. The analyses of weigh... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=839013 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 839013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=839014&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17765021%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Zellner K, Ulbricht G, Kromeyer-Hauschild K The body mass index (BMI) is widely used as an indicator of nutritional status of individuals and groups, changes in this measure reflecting changes in living conditions. The purpose of this paper is to present long-term BMI trends of schoolchildren from Jena/Eastern Germany over 125 years. The analysis is based on 10 anthropological investigations carried out between 1880 and 2005/2006 and belongs to the longest running, continuous investigation of schoolchildren in a single community worldwide. The average BMI of the 7- to 14-year-old probands generally increases between the first investigation in 1880 and the last study in 2005/2006 by 1.8kg/m(2) in boys and by 2.1kg/m(2) in girls. However, this long-term increase of the BMI does ... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=839014 Thu, 26 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 839014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=808782&cid=s_35530_62_f&fid=35530&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Ftmpl%3DNoSidebarfile%26db%3DPubMed%26cmd%3DRetrieve%26list_uids%3D17702676%26dopt%3DAbstract Authors: Huffman SK, Rizov M This paper examines human obesity, measured as weight and body mass index (BMI), and its determinants in Russia. Obesity increased dramatically during transition from a planned to a market economy, by 38%. We determine the factors contributing to rising obesity using individual level data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey for 1994 and 2004. We find a strong positive effect of diet/caloric intake and a strong negative effect of smoking on weight and BMI. Gender, education, and income are other major determinants of obesity. Our analysis provides information on dietary patterns and other determinants of obesity in Russia which is essential for formulation and implementation of effective policies designed to reduce the problem and improve the heal... Economics and Human Biology journals http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=808782 Sat, 21 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 808782