Japanese quality of life in the prewar Showa period: An anthropometric approach

• Project/Area Number: 17K03853
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: Surugadai University
• Principal Investigator: Murakoshi Kazunori 駿河台大学, メディア情報学部, 教授 (80265438)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2019)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 計量体格史 / 歴史人口学 / 健康史 / 日本経済史 / 経済史 / 生活水準の歴史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study adopted an anthropometric approach to examine Japanese quality of life using height data as an index of physique. Previous studies have examined the physical condition of the Japanese population during the Meiji period, when Japan became industrialised, by testing the “Inverted U-shaped Hypothesis”, which presumably explains the relationship between economic development and physical growth. In contrast, this research analysed pre-war data from the Showa period to explore associations between industrialisation and the development of the Japanese physique. According to results of this study, participation in the labour force during childhood affects physical growth during adolescence.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、昭和戦前期における「生活の質」を、体位成長と労働・子どもの仕事との関係から検討することによって経済史研究とくに計量体格史研究に貢献することができた。同時に、身長の伸びは累積された健康状態を反映しているので、健康に与えた運動エネルギーWの影響を、地域や社会階層という視点から検討するという点では、対象が過去であるとはいえ、社会格差と健康との関係を取りあげる社会疫学的な研究成果ともいえる。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] 昭和戦前期における乳児の感染性疾患による死亡・回復過程の分析枠組み構築の試み (2018)
  • Author(s): 村越一哲
  • Journal Title: メディアと情報資源 : 駿河台大学メディア情報学部紀要 Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Pages: 11-20
  • DOI: 10.15004/00001863
  • NAID: 120006531865
  • Open Access
• [Presentation] 明治・大正期における体位と栄養状態－成人身長の直線的な伸びに関する検討－ (2019)
  • Author(s): 村越一哲
  • Organizer: 社会経済史学会
• [Book] Gender and Family in Japan (2019)
  • Author(s): Enoki Kazue, Murakoshi Kazunori, Ogiyama Masahiro, Okuda Nobuko, Ozeki Manabu, Takahashi Miyuki, Takahashi Motoyasu, Tomobe Ken’ichi
  • Total Pages: 150
  • Publisher: Springer
  • ISBN: 9811399085