HEALTH, HEIGHT AND REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN ITALY: EVIDENCE FROM CONSCRIPTS' DATA, 1843-1871

This article contributes to the debate on regional disparities in living standards in Italy at the time of national unification (1861) by examining the health standards of army conscripts born between 1843 and 1871. Data regarding the conscripts born in 1843-1856 show that 35.4 per cent of youths examined were unfit for military service. Overall, the rejection rate in the peninsular south was similar to that of the northern regions. In the south, however, the share of conscripts rejected for insufficient height was notably higher. It is very likely that the persistent north-south gradient in average height in Italy is related to genetic factors. Este articulo contribuye al debate sobre las disparidades regionales en los niveles de vida en Italia en el momento de la unificacion nacional (1861) mediante el examen de las condiciones de salud de los reclutas del ejercito nacidos entre 1843 y el 1871. Datos sobre los reclutas nacidos en los anos 1843-1856, muestran como el 35,4 por ciento de los jovenes examinados no eran aptos para el servicio militar. En general, la tasa de rechazo en el sur peninsular era similar a la del norte. Sin embargo, en el sur era mayor la proporcion de reclutas rechazados por no alcanzar la estatura minima requerida. Es muy probable que el persistente gradiente norte-sur en la estatura promedio en Italia este relacionado con factores geneticos.