"Department of Industrial Engineering and Economics Working Paper 2016-3" is now available

Department of Industrial Engineering and Economics issues the series of Working Paper to highlight our recent research activities.

The latest issue, 2016-3: Kota OGASAWARA, Tatsuki INOUE, Ryo NAGAYA. Nutrition and diseases in the low-income households in Tokyo in 1930.

Title of original paper

Nutrition and diseases in the low-income households in Tokyo in 1930

Author

Kota Ogasawara, Tatsuki Inoue, and Ryo Nagaya

Abstract

This paper provides the results of our analysis of a household survey of low-income working-class households conducted in Tokyo in 1930. We investigated both nutritional attainment levels and the relationship between calorie intake and health outcomes in those households. We found that the daily calorie intake per equivalent adult was 1,906.3 kcal — 2,117.9 kcal for men and 1,694.6 kcal for women. Considering that this consumption level satisfies the energy requirements for moderate physical activity, we conclude that low-income urban working-class households likely escaped hunger in those days. Our estimates show that with an increase in per capita income, those households tended to consume more animal protein instead of other types of food. However, we do not find any significant correlation between the improvement in daily calorie intake per capita and the health status of family members. This finding contributes to the debate on the contribution of nutritional improvements to the historical decline in mortality rates, using Japan as a case study.

Following issues of Working Paper will appear as soon as available.

• Publications
• Department of Industrial Engineering and Economics Working Paper 2016-3