A study of the changing patterns of diet, health, and nutrition (measured in terms of height) in the urban population in Russia after the abolition of serfdom has evoked enormous historical interest. Because diet, health, and physical stature are all indicators of well-being, their study is crucial in assessing the impact of the major structural reforms on the daily lives of the Russian population in the 1860s. Yet, this issue has received very little attention among historians. Hence, the extent to which dietary changes led to an improvement or deterioration in the prevailing living conditions in the post-Reform era needs to be explored further. This study is one such attempt.1.