Human height depends not only on genes, but also on many other factors. This is evidenced by changes in the average height of people that occurred at different times. For example, in Europe before 1800, the average height of people at different times fluctuated from 165 to 170 cm, but in the 19th century it began to increase sharply. This happened all over the world, but in Europe especially strongly – in many countries this figure increased by more than 15 centimeters. However, the increase did not occur uniformly, as a result of which the average height of the population in different countries is different.
The average height of people in different countries varies greatly. Photo source: www.meydan.tv
Contents
- 1 Why have people's heights changed over the past 200 years
- 2 The country with the highest population
- 3 Why the Dutch have “grown” more than people from other countries
- 4 Which countries have the shortest people
Why have people’s heights changed over the past 200 years
There is no doubt that genetics plays a major role in a person's height. Scientists estimate that genes influence approximately 60-80%. However, the remaining 20-40% have somehow changed the growth of the population around the world, and especially in Europe. Let us note right away that evolution has nothing to do with this, since evolutionary changes take a much longer period of time.
It is known that height is also affected by the composition of inhaled air, food, stressful conditions, quality of sleep, strength training, illness, intensity of solar radiation and much more. One study showed a clear relationship between population growth and an increase in the standard of living, including improved healthcare.
The height of people depends on various factors. Photo source: report.az
Over the past 200 years, the quality of life of the population in all aspects has significantly improved in European countries, from reducing excess mortality and infectious diseases to access to quality food. Obviously, this has provoked an increase in the average height of the population. A particularly strong jump has been observed since 1914, which correlates with the increase in the standard of living that occurred around the same time.
The most important factor associated with improving the standard of living, according to scientists, is nutrition. However, the impact of quality nutrition on growth can be offset by illness, stress and hard physical labor.
Country with the highest population
The Dutch have long been considered the tallest people. The average height of men in the Netherlands is 182.5 cm, while the average height of Dutch women is 168.7 cm. For comparison, the average height of men in Russia does not exceed 176 centimeters, and women – 163.7 centimeters.
The tallest people live in the Netherlands. Photo source: rg.ru
Tall people also live in Serbia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. For example, in Serbia, which is in second place after the Netherlands, the average height of a man is 180.6 centimeters, and in Estonia – 180.2 centimeters.
It is surprising that the population of the Netherlands came out on top. The fact is that back in the 19th century, the Dutch were among the shortest people in Europe. According to surviving documents from the Dutch army, the average height of men in the middle of the century before last was 165 centimeters. This means that over the past 160 years, the average height of men in the Netherlands has increased by a record 20 centimeters.
Why the Dutch “grew” more than people from other countries
Scientists believe that the Dutch growth spurt is due to two main factors. One is the development of health care. Recent studies show that long-term or recurring illnesses had a strong impact on the height of the Dutch in the 19th century.
In the 19th century, the Dutch suffered greatly from illness, making them some of the shortest people in Europe. Photo source: sol-o.ru
It has also been proven that the death of parents leads to a decrease in the height of the child. The death of the mother has a particularly strong effect on growth. This is explained by the fact that at a very young age, children depend on their mother for nutrition. At an older age, children experience severe stress due to the loss of their main caregiver. Apparently, due to frequent and severe illnesses, children in the Netherlands in the 19th century often lost their parents.
When medicine improved, serious illnesses stopped having a negative impact on population growth. Mild illnesses with a short period of illness even have a positive impact on growth, as they strengthen the immune system. Nowadays, many residents of the Netherlands have developed a strong immune system. Children are born with excellent health, due to which the body does not waste energy on fighting diseases, but is engaged in developing itself.
The second factor in the strong population growth may be diet. The Dutch consume a lot of dairy products, much more than most other European countries. They are present in the diet of almost every resident of the Netherlands. As is known, dairy products are rich in calcium, which is necessary for the development and strengthening of bone tissue, on which human growth depends. However, not all scientists agree that dairy products are beneficial for health.
Residents of the Netherlands consume a lot of dairy products. Photo source: bbc.com
In which countries do the shortest people live
As you can easily guess from all of the above, the shortest people live in countries with a low standard of living. The leader in the anti-rating of male height is East Timor – the average height of the male population here does not exceed 160 centimeters. The shortest women live in Guatemala – their average height is 150 centimeters.
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Finally, we note that tallness can have negative consequences for health. For example, scientists have found that tall people have an increased risk of developing cancer. True, the reason for this is not yet clear, but there are several assumptions, which we talked about earlier.