Urban height penalty during early industrialized periods was not observed in the 1928–1929 conscript inspection data in Iwate Prefecture

Abstract

The author found conscription inspection records for each municipality in Iwate Prefecture in 1928 and 1929. From these data, 4207 men from 17 areas or municipalities were analyzed. The average height of the subjects from Morioka, the prefectural capital, and two coastal towns/villages was > 161 cm, which was taller than the national average of 160 cm. However, that of three inland areas was < 159 cm. People in inland areas at that time ate little meat, eggs, milk, and fish, with poor medication, which probably contributed to their short stature. Poverty in rural areas seemed to be more serious than the deterioration of the living environment due to urbanization in Japan.