Steckel RH.Heights and health in the United States. In: Stature, living standards and economic development. Edited by J. Komlos. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.

What role does height play in health? This chapter by an economic historian provides one perspective. Height measures have been collected since the 1700s onwards. Problems in interpreting these data can be corrected. Genetic influences are felt to be less important because diverse populations that are well-off have approximately the same average heights in modern studies in the US. Average heights, which are related to mortality, have been shown by others to be associated with the distribution of income, and this may account for observed declines in height during the second quarter of the 19th century, when income and wealth became more polarized. 

Keywords

• genetic influences
• health inequalities
• height
• income
• ife expectancy
• race
• socioeconomic status