Teeth reveal how childhood hunger shortened medieval lives
A major international study involving the University of Bradford has revealed children who experienced severe nutritional stress in medieval England were more likely to suffer poor health and die earlier in adulthood.
Published in Science Advances, the research analysed the teeth of 275 individuals buried in London and Lincolnshire between 1000 and 1540 CE, uncovering a direct link between early-life malnutrition and later-life mortality.
The University of Bradford played a pivotal role in the study. Researchers from its School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences led the laboratory analysis of tooth dentine, using advanced stable isotope techniques to reconstruct childhood diets and physiological stress.
The samples were processed at Bradford’s Stable Isotope Laboratory, where carbon and nitrogen ratios were measured to identify periods of nutritional deprivation.
‘Famine left biological scars’
Dr Julia Beaumont, co-author and lead analyst at the University of Bradford, said: “Our work at Bradford has helped uncover how deeply early-life experiences shaped health in the medieval period.
“By examining dentine profiles, we can see how famine left lasting biological scars. This study shows how medieval lives were shaped by their earliest experiences.
“It’s a powerful reminder that childhood health has lifelong consequences.”
Teeth reveal hidden histories
Tooth dentine, which forms during childhood and does not remodel, acts as a biological archive. By analysing changes in isotope ratios, the team identified a distinctive pattern, rising nitrogen levels with stable or falling carbon, that indicated episodes of nutritional stress, likely caused by famine or food scarcity.
This method, refined by Bradford researchers, allowed the team to pinpoint when individuals experienced malnutrition and to compare their health outcomes with those who did not.
Adults over 30 who had suffered early-life nutritional stress were significantly more likely to show skeletal signs of chronic inflammation and had lower survival rates than their peers.
The Black Death’s unexpected aftermath
The study also revealed the prevalence of childhood nutritional stress increased in the decades leading up to the Black Death, from 1348 to 1350, and declined afterward. This suggests the pandemic may have indirectly improved living conditions by reducing population pressure and increasing access to food and resources.
Who was involved in the study
Dr Beaumont, also known as the ‘Bradford Tooth Fairy’, practiced for 30 years as a dentist and orthodontist before studying an MSc and PhD part time at Bradford. She retired from Dentistry in 2013, taking up a post as an Archaeology and Forensic Sciences lecturer at the University of Bradford.
Other study co-authors are Brittany Walter (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency), Jacqueline R Towers (University of Bradford), Sharon DeWitte (Professor, Institute of Behavioural Science & Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, USA, and Emily Brennan (University of South Carolina).
Implications for modern health
The findings support modern theories about the developmental origins of health and disease, which link early environmental stress to chronic conditions in adulthood. The research also highlights the importance of early nutrition and public health interventions, even today.
The study not only deepens our understanding of medieval health, but it also demonstrates how innovative techniques developed at Bradford can illuminate the long-term effects of early adversity. Future research may explore epigenetic (changes in gene expression) and microbiome (microorganisms that live in the human body, such as bacteria) evidence to further unravel the biological mechanisms behind these findings.
This ground-breaking research aligns directly with the University of Bradford’s strategic priority to grow its reputation for research and knowledge mobilisation.
By leading internationally significant studies that uncover the long-term impacts of early-life adversity, Bradford demonstrates its commitment to driving sustainable social and economic development through innovation.
The work also reflects the University’s values of excellence and inclusion, using advanced scientific techniques to illuminate hidden histories and inform modern public health understanding, locally, nationally and globally.