A digital illustration symbolizing the influence of adolescence on adult health, depicting a figure composed of teenagers against a historical Flemish backdrop.

Unlocking the Past: Why Puberty, Not Babyhood, Shapes Adult Health

Theo Raines in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research reveals how teenage years in Flanders during the 1800s highlight the critical impact of adolescent health on long-term well-being."

For years, scientists and historians believed that the seeds of adult health were sown in infancy and early childhood. It's a compelling narrative: what happens in those first few years, especially regarding nutrition, sets the stage for a lifetime of well-being or disease. But is this always the case?

A fascinating historical study conducted in Flanders during the 19th century throws a wrench in this long-held belief. Researchers Ewout Depauw and Deborah Oxley examined the heights of Flemish men born between 1800 and 1876, a period marked by significant economic hardship and two major subsistence crises. The goal? To pinpoint when, during their development, these men were most vulnerable to environmental factors that ultimately affected their adult height.

Their findings challenge the conventional wisdom. While early childhood undoubtedly matters, the study reveals that adolescence, specifically the period between ages 11 and 18, exerted a far more powerful influence on adult stature than infancy. This discovery has profound implications for how we understand long-term health and well-being, suggesting that interventions during the teenage years may have a more lasting impact than previously thought.

The Flemish Experiment: Height as a Window to the Past

A digital illustration symbolizing the influence of adolescence on adult health, depicting a figure composed of teenagers against a historical Flemish backdrop.

To understand the study's significance, it's crucial to grasp the context of 19th-century Flanders. The region was characterized by economic vulnerability, with many families relying on proto-industrial textile production alongside agriculture. This system, while providing supplementary income, was fragile and susceptible to harvest failures.

The potato blight of 1845, followed by rye harvest failures in 1846, created a devastating subsistence crisis. The population, already struggling, faced widespread poverty, mendicancy, and disease outbreaks. A second crisis, triggered by the Crimean War in the 1850s, further exacerbated the situation, driving up grain prices and increasing mortality.

Prison Data as a Unique Resource: Depauw and Oxley turned to an unusual source: prison records from Bruges. These records meticulously documented the height, birth year, and other characteristics of inmates, providing a valuable dataset for analyzing long-term trends.
Addressing the Bias: The researchers acknowledged that prison populations are not representative of the general population, being disproportionately drawn from lower socioeconomic classes. However, this bias actually strengthened the study, as these individuals were more likely to be vulnerable to economic hardships.
Accounting for Recidivism: To avoid skewing the results, the researchers carefully accounted for recidivism, ensuring that each individual was only counted once in the analysis.

The researchers meticulously analyzed the height data, looking for correlations between birth year, exposure to crises, and adult stature. They also incorporated economic indicators like food prices and mortality rates to paint a comprehensive picture of the environmental conditions during the men's growing years. In doing so, the researchers found that the adolescent years were the most critical.

Rethinking the Trajectory of Health: A Call to Action

The Flemish study offers a compelling reason to rethink the emphasis on early childhood as the sole determinant of adult health. While early experiences remain important, the adolescent growth spurt emerges as a particularly sensitive period, one where interventions could have a profound and lasting impact. Instead of focusing solely on early years, it is essential to target the population during puberty to yield better outputs.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1111/ehr.12745, Alternate LINK

Title: Toddlers, Teenagers, And Terminal Heights: The Importance Of Puberty For Male Adult Stature, Flanders, 1800–76

Subject: Economics and Econometrics

Journal: The Economic History Review

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Ewout Depauw, Deborah Oxley

Published: 2018-08-23

Everything You Need To Know

How did the study in Flanders investigate the impact of different life stages on adult health?

The Flanders study, led by researchers Ewout Depauw and Deborah Oxley, examined the heights of Flemish men born between 1800 and 1876. They used prison records from Bruges to analyze the correlation between birth year, exposure to economic crises like the potato blight of 1845, rye harvest failures in 1846, and the Crimean War in the 1850s, and adult stature. By accounting for biases and economic indicators, they pinpointed the period during development when environmental factors most affected adult height, challenging the exclusive focus on early childhood.

Why did the researchers use prison data from Bruges in their study, and what measures did they take to ensure the data's reliability?

Depauw and Oxley utilized prison records from Bruges because these records meticulously documented the height, birth year, and other characteristics of inmates. This provided a unique and valuable dataset for analyzing long-term trends. To address the bias of prison populations being disproportionately from lower socioeconomic classes, the researchers acknowledged that this bias actually strengthened the study, as these individuals were more likely to be vulnerable to economic hardships. Additionally, they accounted for recidivism to ensure each individual was only counted once in the analysis, thus enhancing the reliability of their findings.

How does the study challenge the conventional belief that early childhood is the most critical period for shaping adult health?

The study challenges the long-held belief that infancy and early childhood are the primary determinants of adult health by demonstrating that adolescence, particularly between the ages of 11 and 18, exerts a more powerful influence on adult stature. The research conducted by Ewout Depauw and Deborah Oxley in Flanders during the 19th century showed that exposure to subsistence crises and economic hardships during teenage years had a more significant impact on adult height than similar exposures in early childhood. This suggests that interventions and support during adolescence may have a more lasting impact on long-term well-being than previously thought.

What were the major subsistence crises in 19th-century Flanders, and how did they affect the population's health and well-being?

In 19th-century Flanders, the major subsistence crises included the potato blight of 1845 followed by rye harvest failures in 1846, and a second crisis triggered by the Crimean War in the 1850s. These crises led to widespread poverty, mendicancy, and disease outbreaks. The population, already vulnerable due to reliance on proto-industrial textile production alongside agriculture, faced increased mortality and hardship, especially impacting their nutritional status during critical growth periods. The study by Ewout Depauw and Deborah Oxley found that these conditions during adolescence significantly affected adult stature.

What are the implications of this study for public health interventions, and how should resources be allocated to improve long-term health outcomes?

The study implies that public health interventions should prioritize adolescence as a critical period for shaping long-term health outcomes. Instead of focusing solely on early childhood interventions, resources should be allocated to support the health and nutrition of teenagers. This could include school-based health programs, nutritional support for vulnerable families, and policies aimed at reducing poverty and economic hardship during adolescence. By targeting interventions during the adolescent growth spurt, Depauw and Oxley's research suggests that it may be possible to have a more profound and lasting impact on adult health and well-being.