Height & Socio-Economic Conditions

[MachineGhost]

From a 2005 publication A short history of height: "Canadians are now taller than Americans, who have suddenly plateaued — but all trail the towering Dutch. So what’s their secret? — Richard Steckel has a reality check for parents who see their teenagers sprouting skyward before their very eyes. It’s really happening. Young Canadians today enjoy such stunning nutritional advantage over their predecessors that it is now possible for most to reach their full genetic potential, their optimum height. –  Height, it seems, is about more than what’s in our genes.  – An economic historian at Ohio State University, Steckel has spent years scouring the boneyards and archives of the western hemisphere searching for clues about the height and health of past populations. He has shown, for example, that in the early 1800s the Cheyenne of the U.S. Plains were among the tallest people in the world, taller on average than Americans and Europeans. At an average of five foot ten for men, the Cheyenne were also taller than their native neighbours to the north, the Assiniboine of Manitoba. Similar genes and cultures. But, Steckel notes, the Cheyenne enjoyed milder winters, enabling them to hunt the high-protein buffalo more easily year round. — Equally intriguing are Steckel’s conclusions about height across the millennia. Northern Europeans in the 11th century were substantially taller — almost three inches taller on average — than their descendants on the eve of the industrial revolution around 1750. That might seem bizarre to anyone accustomed to thinking about human height as something that has increased steadily with the so-called march of civilization. But height varies with how healthy and how well off a given society is as a whole, says John Komlos, a prominent height historian at the University of Munich. “We’ve yet to recognize,”? says Komlos, “how sensitive the human body is to socio-economic and environmental circumstances.”? — In the late 1700s, for example, American-born colonialists made good use of their sparsely populated, protein-rich environment to become taller than their European contemporaries: average height was five foot eight for American men, judging from military and prison records. That was nearly two inches taller than the average British soldier. Just decades later, however, a strange stunting started to occur that researchers don’t fully understand. American incomes rose from the early to mid-1800s, but that didn’t equate to better living conditions. As Americans became richer — as a group anyway — they also shrank. By the early 1900s, Americans were again among the world’s tallest people. But now measurers are starting to detect another mysterious levelling off. At an average of five foot ten, American-born men from the 1970s are not much taller than their great-grandfathers. So much for the modern diet. — Canada, however, is still shooting upward. At just over five foot eleven, the average Canadian-born male from the 1970s stands nearly an inch taller than his American counterpart. And while it’s nice to be taller than our well-fed neighbours, we still trail the Netherlands, whose citizens are now considered the tallest in the world. Starting in the 1840s, the Dutch began growing from generation to generation, to the point where just over six feet is average for men in their 20s and 30s.”? — According to Steckel, it’s the relative equality within Dutch and other European societies that are helping them grow. “If you take a dollar from the richest and give it to the poor,”? Steckel says, “heights will increase.”? Nations with universal health coverage, protein-rich diets and relatively low income inequality — like the Netherlands and Canada — continue to get taller.”?

[Greg]

From a 2005 publication A short history of height: "Canadians are now taller than Americans, who have suddenly plateaued — but all trail the towering Dutch. So what’s their secret? — Richard Steckel has a reality check for parents who see their teenagers sprouting skyward before their very eyes. It’s really happening. Young Canadians today enjoy such stunning nutritional advantage over their predecessors that it is now possible for most to reach their full genetic potential, their optimum height. –  Height, it seems, is about more than what’s in our genes.  – An economic historian at Ohio State University, Steckel has spent years scouring the boneyards and archives of the western hemisphere searching for clues about the height and health of past populations. He has shown, for example, that in the early 1800s the Cheyenne of the U.S. Plains were among the tallest people in the world, taller on average than Americans and Europeans. At an average of five foot ten for men, the Cheyenne were also taller than their native neighbours to the north, the Assiniboine of Manitoba. Similar genes and cultures. But, Steckel notes, the Cheyenne enjoyed milder winters, enabling them to hunt the high-protein buffalo more easily year round. — Equally intriguing are Steckel’s conclusions about height across the millennia. Northern Europeans in the 11th century were substantially taller — almost three inches taller on average — than their descendants on the eve of the industrial revolution around 1750. That might seem bizarre to anyone accustomed to thinking about human height as something that has increased steadily with the so-called march of civilization. But height varies with how healthy and how well off a given society is as a whole, says John Komlos, a prominent height historian at the University of Munich. “We’ve yet to recognize,”? says Komlos, “how sensitive the human body is to socio-economic and environmental circumstances.”? — In the late 1700s, for example, American-born colonialists made good use of their sparsely populated, protein-rich environment to become taller than their European contemporaries: average height was five foot eight for American men, judging from military and prison records. That was nearly two inches taller than the average British soldier. Just decades later, however, a strange stunting started to occur that researchers don’t fully understand. American incomes rose from the early to mid-1800s, but that didn’t equate to better living conditions. As Americans became richer — as a group anyway — they also shrank. By the early 1900s, Americans were again among the world’s tallest people. But now measurers are starting to detect another mysterious levelling off. At an average of five foot ten, American-born men from the 1970s are not much taller than their great-grandfathers. So much for the modern diet. — Canada, however, is still shooting upward. At just over five foot eleven, the average Canadian-born male from the 1970s stands nearly an inch taller than his American counterpart. And while it’s nice to be taller than our well-fed neighbours, we still trail the Netherlands, whose citizens are now considered the tallest in the world. Starting in the 1840s, the Dutch began growing from generation to generation, to the point where just over six feet is average for men in their 20s and 30s.”? — According to Steckel, it’s the relative equality within Dutch and other European societies that are helping them grow. “If you take a dollar from the richest and give it to the poor,”? Steckel says, “heights will increase.”? Nations with universal health coverage, protein-rich diets and relatively low income inequality — like the Netherlands and Canada — continue to get taller.”?

Interesting post. I'm wondering for these protein-rich diets, are these just saying you're getting the 100% daily FDA suggested amount? And if you go over that is it just diminishing returns? Ideally I'd have tall children too whenever I get around to making them.

[MachineGhost]

Interesting post. I'm wondering for these protein-rich diets, are these just saying you're getting the 100% daily FDA suggested amount? And if you go over that is it just diminishing returns? Ideally I'd have tall children too whenever I get around to making them.

I forgot to link to the article; fixed.  The emphasis here is on epigenetic influences, not dietary.

I do know the Dutch have a heavy dairy-based lifestyle which would contribute a lot of protein, calcium and phosphorous (which is not without negative health outcomes).  Temperamental-wise they also tend to be stuckup and not friendly relative to the other European citizens.  Maybe they've developed a superiority complex?  I know I'm already developing an inferiority complex from being so relatively short!

[Greg]

Interesting post. I'm wondering for these protein-rich diets, are these just saying you're getting the 100% daily FDA suggested amount? And if you go over that is it just diminishing returns? Ideally I'd have tall children too whenever I get around to making them.

I forgot to link to the article; fixed.  The emphasis here is on epigenetic influences, not dietary.

I do know the Dutch have a heavy dairy-based lifestyle which would contribute a lot of protein, calcium and phosphorous (which is not without negative health outcomes).  Temperamental-wise they also tend to be stuckup and not friendly relative to the other European citizens.  Maybe they've developed a superiority complex?  I know I'm already developing an inferiority complex from being so relatively short!

At least for me I'm guessing it was a combination of genetics, a lot of vegetables and proteins, and my father buying a gallon of milk a day (since we'd go through it that quickly). Around 6'2"ish right now but my mum is 5'9" so that probably does factor in a lot. And Napoleon did pretty good for his shortness. What he lacked in height he made up for in shortness.