Unraveling the history of a nation’s physical health can be challenging due to limited data. However, a recent study highlighted a striking correlation between a population’s health and a commonly recorded metric — body height.
Over the past two centuries, global, particularly European, heights have seen a significant increase, with the Netherlands leading the way. Dutch men, who are currently the tallest globally, have shown a remarkable growth from 166 cm in 1810 to 184 cm today.
While genetics plays a role in determining height, environmental factors such as improved living standards, reduced mortality rates, and better access to food have contributed to this growth. Height can be viewed as a reflection of one’s nutrition and overall health during development.
Height, health, and development
Nutrition plays a crucial role in height and health development. Illness, stress, and manual labor can inhibit growth, while good immunity and nutrition contribute to taller populations.
Height and health in adulthood
Taller individuals may have a lower risk of death, but extremely tall people face higher mortality rates due to increased cell division and cancer risks.
Historical data suggests that taller individuals had shorter lifespans due to calorie requirements and the prevalence of infectious diseases.
The study of height presents not only historical insights but also contemporary implications for healthcare strategies and understanding national health trends.
Written by Kristina Thompson, Assistant Professor in Health & Society, Wageningen University, and Björn Quanjer, Postdoctoral Researcher at Radboud University.
This article was originally published in The Conversation.
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