Long-term changes of socioeconomic differences in height among young adult men in Southern Sweden, 1818-1968

- The magnitude of socioeconomic differences in height was similar in the 19th and the 20th century.
- Sons of fathers with non-manual occupations had the largest height premium, 2-4 cm, and were consistently taller than others.
- Sons of skilled manual workers changed from being the shortest group to being one of the tallest.
- The positive influence from landholding on the height of the sons declined after the early 19th century.
- Changes in the income distribution and economic structure are plausible explanations for the changes.

The study explores the long-term trends in socioeconomic differences in height among young adult men. We linked information from conscript inspections to a longitudinal demographic database of five parishes in Southern Sweden. Detailed information on the occupation and landholding was used to investigate the differences in height. Even if there is indication of a reduction in the magnitude of the differences in height over time the reduction is neither dramatic nor uniform. The most systematic and consistent difference is that sons of fathers with white collar occupations were taller than others. They were 4 cm taller than the sons of low-skilled manual workers in the first half of the 19th century, and almost 2 cm taller in the mid-20th century. This difference is much smaller than those found between elite and destitute groups historically, in for example Britain, but comparable to that found in other studies on 19th century populations using information on family background. Most of the reduction in the socioeconomic differences in height was a result of reduced height penalty and premium for small disadvantaged and privileged groups. Changes in the distribution of income and the economic structure are plausible explanations for the changes in socioeconomic differences in height.