Boom, bust, and the human body: Further evidence on the relationship between height and business cycles

Abstract

Historical time series for average human height exhibit short- and medium-term cycles that can be associated with business cycles in the 19th and 20th century. Using spectral analysis, we calculate the proportion of cyclical fluctuations in height series attributable to economic cycles. We also analyze the extent to which these cyclical phenomena change over time. In the U.S., the association between height cycles and business cycles was weaker among richer segments of the society, and weaker among men than among women. Additionally, the relationship diminished over time, probably with the rich preceding the population at large.