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CSAE WPS/2008-04 Towards an Objective Account of Nutrition and Health in Colonial Kenya: A Study of Stature in African Army Recruits and Civilians, 1880-1980 Alexander Moradi Centre for the Study of African Economies, Nuffield College, Department of Economics University of Oxford Manor Road Building, Oxford OX1 3UQ, UK E-mail: alexander.moradi@economics.ox.ac.uk Keywords: nutrition, health, anthropometrics, inequality, colonial, Kenya JEL: I31, I32, N37 Abstract How well did Kenyans do under colonial rule? It is common sense that Kenyans suffered under exploitative colonial policies. The overall impact, however, is uncertain. This study presents fresh evidence on nutrition and health in colonial Kenya by (1) using a new and comprehensive data set of African army recruits and civilians and (2) applying a powerful measure of nutritional status: mean population height. Findings demonstrate huge regional inequalities but only minor changes in the mean height of cohorts born 20 years before and after colonisation. From 1920 onwards secular improvements took place which continued after Independence. It can be concluded that however bad colonial policies and devastating short term crises were, the net outcome of colonial times was a significant progress in nutrition and health. Acknowledgments I am grateful to the Kenyan Armed Forces, Defence Headquarters, Ulinzi House, Nairobi, Chief of General Staff for granting me access to records of the King’s African Rifles. I thank Peterson Kithuka, Maureen Were and Jacinta Sikali for excellent research assistanc