RT Journal Article
T1 Anthropometric Studies of Schoolchildren During the First Decades of the 20th Century in Spain and Argentina
A1 Cesani, María Florencia
A1 González Montero, Marisa
A1 Marrodán Serrano, María Dolores
AB ABSTRACTObjectiveThe practice of anthropometry in schools at the beginning of the 20th century originated in Europe and Latin America in conjunction with the emergence of hygienism and epidemiological auxology. The aim of this work is to deepen the knowledge of these practices in Spain and Argentina and to compare the available growth data in order to identify possible differences between the populations.MethodsThe anthropometric data of 1693 boys and girls aged 7–15 years (877 Spanish; 816 Argentinean) from the period between 1903 and 1913 were analyzed. The data were taken from the Reports and Memoirs of the School Colonies of the National Pedagogical Museum (Spain) and the Archives of Pedagogy and Related Sciences of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences of the National University of La Plata (UNLP) (Argentina).ResultsThe most pronounced differences in weight and height were observed between the ages of 11 and 12. The weight growth of Spanish schoolchildren was 22% (boys) and 24% (girls) lower than that of their Argentine counterparts, while linear growth was about 7% lower for both sexes. In addition, the Spanish had a lower body mass index up to the age of 12 years.ConclusionsArgentine boys and girls of La Plata were taller and heavier than their Spanish counterparts of Madrid during the same period (between 1903 and 1913). These results can be attributed to the higher standard of living that characterized the Argentine population at that time.
PB Wiley
SN 1042-0533
SN 1520-6300
YR 2024
FD 2024-11-11
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117270
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/117270
LA eng
NO Cesani, M. F., Montero, M. G., & Serrano, M. D. M. (2025). Anthropometric studies of schoolchildren during the first decades of the 20th century in spain and argentina. American Journal of Human Biology, 37(1), e24183. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.24183
NO We wish to express our appreciation to (EPINUT-UCM Group) for the transcription into digital format of the historical data, to María Cristina Muñe for the careful reading of the manuscript, and to Magui Feller for helping in the elaboration of the figures.
DS Docta Complutense
RD 18 dic 2025