Britain's global
reach has arguably declined over the past century, but research suggests that,
physically at least, we stand taller on the world stage than ever.
The average height
of British men and women increased by 11cm (4.3in) between 1914 and 2014,
putting us ahead of America, where the rate of growth fell amid decades of
unhealthy eating.
While the US boasted
the third tallest group of men in the world and the fourth tallest of women in
1914, it slipped in the rankings to 37th and 42nd respectively, with increases
in average height of less than 6cm (2.4in).
When Europe didn’t have
enough food, America did, but increasingly nutrition has become worse there
Professor Majid
Ezzati, Imperial College London
The average growth
of Britons was nearly double that, meaning British men are now the 31st tallest
in the world and the women 38th.
However, the new
study by Imperial College London, published in the journal eLife, suggests that
the British rate of increase has plateaued over the last 20 years, in common
with many Western nations.
The data show that
Dutch men are now the tallest in the world, with a mean height of 182.5cm (5ft
11in), while the tallest women are in Latvia, with an average height of 169.8cm
(5ft 7in).
Iranian men showed
the biggest increase in height over the 100 years up to 2014, growing by an
average 16.5cm (6.5in). and the largest female growth spurt was among South
Korean women, who put on an extra 20.2cm (8in).
Overall, the top 10
tallest nations in 2014 were dominated by European countries, and featured no
English-speaking nation.
A person’s height is
believed to be strongly influenced by nutrition, meaning children and
adolescents who are better nourished and live in more healthy environments tend
to be taller.
Miranda Hart
Britain's Miranda
Hart is 6ft. The country's women are growing taller CREDIT: TELEGRAPH
Previous research
has indicated that a mother’s health and nutrition can also influence the
eventual height of her offspring.
Prof Majid Ezzati,
from Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine and School of Public Health, said America’s
relatively modest increase in average height, which began stalling in the
Sixties, could be down to the deteriorating quality of the diet.
“There was a time
when America was the land of plenty,” he said.
“When Europe didn’t
have enough food, America did, but increasingly nutrition has become worse
there. It’s not just about having enough calories, it’s about having
high-quality calories. Growth has stopped in much of the West,” he added.
“Together with poor
performance of these countries in terms of obesity, this emphasises the need for
more effective policies towards healthy nutrition throughout life.”
Prof Ezzati said the
American growth might also have been effected by large-scale immigration from
Latin America, where average heights have traditionally lagged behind those in
Europe.
The study revealed
that the populations of some countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa,
North Africa and the Middle East, had seen a decline in average height over the
past 40 years.
Prof Ezzati said
these declines could be the result of disastrous trade and political decisions
which had worsened the quality and abundance of food for local population.
Data from past
studies have indicated that taller people tend to live longer, gain a better
education and even earn more money.
However, tallness
has been linked to specific health risks, such as an increased risk of ovarian
and prostate cancers.
Source: .telegraph
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