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NUTRITION, CROWDING, AND DISEASE AMONG LOW‐INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN TOKYO IN 1930
Author(s) -
Ogasawara Kota,
Gazeley Ian,
Schneider Eric B.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
australian economic history review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.493
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1467-8446
pISSN - 0004-8992
DOI - 10.1111/aehr.12189
Subject(s) - calorie , crowding , low income , environmental health , crowding out , family income , economics , socioeconomics , gerontology , medicine , economic growth , biology , neuroscience , monetary economics , endocrinology
This article employs a household survey of low‐income working‐class households conducted in Tokyo in 1930 to investigate nutritional attainment levels and the relationship between calorie intake and morbidity. We find that the daily calorie intake was 2,118 kcal per adult male equivalent, high enough to satisfy the energy requirements for moderate physical activity. Richer households purchased more expensive calories mainly by substituting meat and vegetables for rice. We find negative associations between morbidity and income and crowding, but no significant associations for nutrition, tentatively suggesting that income and crowding were more important for morbidity in 1930 Tokyo than nutrition.