Hi there, I come from a family that is very tall!
My family are a mix. My Dad and brother are 6'4" and my Mom is 5'2"!
That's neat, when populations share genetic background and environmental factors, average height is often used as a characteristic within the group.
Are taller people more prevalent than little people? Or is there an even spread?
I would suspect taller people are more rare. Mainly because in regions of poverty, environmental factors during childhood/adolescence may result in delayed growth or reductions in adult stature.
That's a very good point. I did read somewhere that a better diet has resulted in our being bigger - and I don't just mean round the waist! Do you think that's the case?
I would believe that's true, despite genetics playing a very large role in height, there are developmental factors growing up that can influence height.
I guess there must be so many variables. What else affects height? Any ideas?
Height and intelligence
The study of height and intelligence examines correlations between height and human intelligence. Some epidemiological research on the subject has shown that there is a small but statistically significant positive correlation between height and intelligence after controlling for socioeconomic class and parental education. This correlation arises in both the developed and developing world and persists across age groups. There is no scientific consensus on why this correlation arises, but one possible explanation is that height may act as a biomarker for nutritional status and health during intellectual development. One such theory
Studies show that there is a correlation between small stature and a longer life expectancy. Individuals of small stature are also more likely to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to acquire cancer. The University of Hawaii has found that the “longevity gene” FOXO3 that reduces the effects of aging is more commonly found in individuals of a small body size. Short stature decreases the risk of venous insufficiency.
When populations share genetic background and environmental factors, average height is frequently characteristic within the group. Exceptional height variation