Anthropometrics & Historical Epidemiology ☛ PD Kaspar Staub

This research group has two main research areas:

• Anthropometry: The analysis of the regional/temporal variability in human body height, body shape, excess weight, and size at birth during the last 200 years.
• Historical Epidemiology: The analysis of historical morbidity and mortality data from archives using modern epidemiological methods.

Monitoring temporal changes and the variability of body size and shape among a given populations and its subgroups may provide insight into health status in general and help to identify groups at risk in particular. We are an interdisciplinary group (epidemiologists, economic historians, ecologists, biostatisticians) and analyse various modern and historical data sets (monitoring/survey data as well as self-produced data) with quantitative methods (a proven expertise of this group). We add the historical and evolutionary perspective to modern data in order to better understand ongoing developments. By assessing the total body shape via 3D Full Body Scans we focus on longitudinal changes of an individual’s body shape as a whole. In the case of Historical Epidemiology (historical morbidity and mortality data), we try to learn from past mistakes and success stories for modern public health. We profit from an excellent national and international network and collaborations with well-known experts.

1. Ongoing research on past pandemics
2. Temporal and other determinants of neonatal health in Lausanne, 1905-1925
3. Changes in human body height over the past 200 years
4. Excess weight (and its evolution) in Switzerland as assessed by BMI and waist circumference from various data sets
5. 3D full body surface scans as a new technique to monitor body shape
6. Historical Epidemiology: Morbidity and mortality in Switzerland, 1850-1950