Secular Changes in the Body Size of Non-Military Populations

Abstract

People are getting bigger. Overall increases in body size can be documented for various worldwide populations for which adequate anthropometric data are available. In Western Europe and North America the increase in adult stature over the past century has commonly approximated one centimeter per decade, though with some variability between different groups. Other body dimensions, as well as weight, have also been increasing in both men and women and in different ethnic groups. The most likely explanations for such increases in body size are improved nutrition and better health care during growth years. Since such factors tend to be associated with higher socio-economic status, it is these groups who have demonstrated the most marked increases in body size in recent years. Many upper socio-economic groups have already attained most or all of their maximum body size potential, and will experience little further increase. On the other hand, those presently less favored groups who can still benefit from improved nutrition and health care will continue to show increases in body size until they also have reached their maximum potential.