Projects per year
Abstract
How do famines shape the health of survivors? We examine the long-term impact of the Great Irish Famine (1845–1852) on human stature, distinguishing between adverse scarring effects and the apparent resilience of survivors due to selection. Using anthropometric data from over 14,500 individuals born before, during, and after this famine, we find that selection effects were most pronounced in areas with the highest mortality rates. Individuals born in severely affected regions exhibited no evidence of stunted growth, indicating that the Famine disproportionately eliminated the most vulnerable. In contrast, stunting is observed only in areas with lower excess mortality, where selective pressures were weaker. These findings contribute to debates on the biological consequences of extreme catastrophic risks, demonstrating how selection effects can obscure long-term health deterioration. More broadly, our study provides a methodological framework for assessing selection in historical anthropometric research.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Economic History Review |
Early online date | 25 Mar 2025 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Early online date - 25 Mar 2025 |
Keywords
- famine
- fetal origins hypothesis
- anthropometrics
- ireland
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics and Econometrics
- History
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Scarring and selection in the Great Irish Famine'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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R8302MAE: What Can Prison Inmates Tell Us About Ireland in the Nineteenth Century?
Colvin, C. (PI)
01/08/2012 → 31/01/2023
Project: Research
Datasets
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General Prison Registers for Two Irish Prisons, 1840-1910
Blum, M. (Creator), Colvin, C. (Creator) & McLaughlin, E. (Creator), UK Data Service, 03 Mar 2025
DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-857702, https://reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/857702/
Dataset
Press/Media
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Op-ed about long-term health impacts of the Great Irish Famine
Colvin, C. & McLaughlin, E.
16/05/2025
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment