The height history

[Zainab_M]

Though just my own babblings on whatever I've read on this topic about the history of human heights , I'm sure you're gonna like this uncommon discussion.  

It's pretty interesting.  Researchers on the history of human height say that as countries get richer and more prosperous, and their people are able to afford better food (particularly protein rich diet), they tend to grow taller over a few generations.  A careful observation says that this could be right.  What might give us an easy comparison is a close look at the Western movie industry.  Divide all Hollywood movies into two groups.  The first group comprising of movies from 1920s to 1960s.  The second group consisting of movies from 1970s to date.  If you compare the average height of actors (male and female) of these two groups, you'll observe that those appearing in all the latest movies have an average height of approximately 3 or 4 inches taller than those of 1920s to 1960s.  I first thought this had something to do with genetically modified foods.  Perhaps that could be true too.  However, the Western world will have to wait for at least another 50 years to know the long-term affects of GM foods that started as recently as the 1990s.  It's now too early to presume that people in the West are currently getting bigger (vertically and horizontilly) because of GM foods.  According to analysts, it's the variety of protein rich food that people in the developed world can afford for themselves and their families that's gradually making them taller.  

The oft repeated possibilities, contradictions and observations include:  

- Standard of living and quality / quantity of food has a link with height.
- Canadians are taller than Americans though both eat the same kind of food.
- Dutch have been the tallest people since the last couple of centuries.  

During economic upheavels, political crisis, wars etc.  when a country faces a difficult time that could be very prolonged, bring down the optimal living standards.  It brings about a change in peoples' health and height.  It's a gradual process.  But a generation or two will show the difference.  It is observed that during prosperous times the ancestors of those people who might not be getting the necessary nutritions were taller and stronger.

MacCleans magazine quotes "Economists have long speculated on the benefits that can go to tall people. Some studies have suggested business executives of around six foot three or four earn more than their shorter peers. But the very tall have their problems too. While the relatively tall live longer, studies show that the positive relationship between height and life expectancy changes for the worse among men taller than six foot two, who face an increased risk of heart disease. Longevity-wise, tall is good. Too tall is not."  So now we come to yet another aspect.  Higher income could also be linked to taller heights.  Actually if one thinks of this, it refers to that same notion linking prosperity and height.  Higher income people can obviously afford better food and a more comfortable lifestyle.  

Elites of Europe, Asia and Africa show to have almost the same average height.  Let's not forget, these are the prosperous segments these continents.

Here's an interesting perspective.  It is said that in the 17th century when Western Europe was ravaged by 30 years of sectarian fights between Catholics and Protestants, the region's agricultural productivity went down.  The negative economic repercussions were profound and prolonged.  It was difficult for the common people to feed themselves, let alone eat nutritious meals.  Frenchmen, for example, averaged five foot three during that period, while women were about three inches shorter.  Northern Europeans generally are said to have shrunk from an average of five foot eight in the 11th century to five foot five in the 17th century.  It usually takes a few generations before economic & political conditions become more conducive and people start growing taller and bigger again.  

It was also observed through studies that in the early 1800s the Cheyenne tribe of North American Plains were among the tallest people in the world, taller than Caucasians, at an average of five foot ten for men.  The possible reason cited was probably because the Cheyenne enjoyed milder winters, enabling them to hunt the high-protein buffalo almost the year round.

But it's puzzling to note that America is one country where higher incomes have not shown any link with increased heights - rather quite the opposite.  In spite of America's prosperity and no dearth of protein-rich foods available for the American people, during the last 140 years the average American height that used to be 3 inches taller than the Dutch has actually become 3 inches shorter.  Probably there's a hitch with the American modern diet.  Besides, though American incomes showed an increase since the mid 1800s, yet their living conditions didn't show up the best and this is when the stunting began being observed.  It's just too hard to determine the link for their shrinking heights.  Could stress also be a factor that usually accompanies poor living conditions?  That too is very likely.

Thus, there's little basis to think that human height has been steadily increasing with the passage of time.  The graph of a thousand year history is not at all consistent with this view.  

However, visual citings do say that people of Western Europe and North America have distinctly become taller with a tendency to become more obese since the 1970s.  There's little doubt about that.  Also, the difference between the heights of men and women have lessened.  In the yester years it was rare to see a couple walking hand in hand with the woman towering over her husband or boyfriend.  It's quite a common scene now.

There are other studies that suggest humans all over the world are taller now than they were about 100 or 200 years ago.  Americans are distinctly about 3 inches taller on average and 50 pounds heavier.   According to medical analysts and scientists, people in modern times generally get sick less and have better medicines to cure them that often enables them to live longer than their ancesters.  Such positive changes affect the height and people tend to get taller with time.  


However, only Allah Almighty knows the actual truth on such issues.


Give your feedback ..  

[N. Truth Seeker]

very interesting stuff.  ok ..... now I thought that height was a purely genetic thing.  but I guess a prolonged high protein diet of a community builds up genes with its own characteristics which is passed on from people to people of a family.  and yah, women seemed to be growing faster than men.  Same height couples walking around is very common at present.  Does this mean women nowadays are eating more than men? 

I suppose if people begin eating the health foods of MV's Food Diary they'll again start getting short for lack of protein     just kiddin ....

Anyhow, thanks sister.  I really read this with wrapt attention.  profoundly interesting