Smallest Height In The World
Milton Beaty
Most countries use the metric system to measure height. Still, three countries have yet to break their dedication and loyalty to the imperial system measurements. These three countries are Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States of America. Even though the metric system is the most common measurement system, we will include the average height by country in both metric units and imperial units.
For clarification, the imperial system measures height by way of feet and inches, whereas the metric system uses meters and centimeters. These measurement units are not hard to switch between, but countries tend to stick to one over the other to maintain consistency. The ten tallest countries, with the first one being the country with the tallest average human height in the world, include:
In South America, Peru has a fair amount of short-statured folks with its adult population reaching 5 feet, 4.57 inches in average height; this includes all genders. In Peru, malnourishment is a crisis affecting jungle and highland communities. Famine, disease, and cultural issues have played a part in stunting growth. Poverty, food insecurity, and low agricultural productivity also add to the malnutrition issue. Besides a lower average height, these factors also contribute to poor educational achievement and low career productivity. Health services and school feeding programs are non-accessible to many citizens, due to poverty and demographics.
Located on an island southeast of India, residents of Sri Lanka have an average measurement of 5 feet, 4.41 inches. A 2022 UNICEF study shows that Sri Lanka ranks second in the highest malnutrition rates throughout South Asia. Proper nutrition during childhood, childhood diseases, and other factors contribute to the problem. Cultural and environmental factors also can be a cause of malnutrition, such as poor nutrition due to traditional food sources and cuisine that lacks the right nutrients. Obesity can also result from the wrong food choices, all the while not supplying enough nutrients despite excess calories. Notably, even children of rich families in Sri Lanka suffer from malnutrition.
Situated on the northwestern coast of South America, Ecuador comes in at number seven with an average height of 5 feet and 4.37 inches. The diverse landscape amongst the Andean foothills and highlands is an attributing factor, in terms of nutritional infrastructure. A typical diet includes fish, rice, and potatoes, as well as coffee. While the lack of processed meals is a benefit, Ecuador still has the second-highest rate of chronic child malnutrition in Latin America. The indigenous population suffers disproportionately from malnutrition, an issue that the government hopes to tackle in the next decade, although intervention is difficult.
It is ironic that Nepal, situated next to the tallest mountain on earth, consists of one of the shortest populations on earth. Indeed, the terrain of Nepal under the Himalayan Mountain range is detrimental to industries, and therefore distribution of goods. A 2019 UNICEF report shows that over 17% of the population suffers from extreme poverty. Moreover, inadequate infant and child feeding practices have harmed youth development in Nepal; breastfeeding is withheld from many children. Natural disasters like drought, floods, landslides, and earthquakes are factors leading to food insecurity in Nepal as well.
Cambodian nutrition is one of fish and fruit, leading to a low-fat and low-calorie diet. Situated in Southeast Asia, the average height of Cambodian citizens is 5 feet, 3.98 inches. Scattered throughout the nation are many low-lying plains and mountains, although Cambodia also has a significant stretch of coast in the southeast. Unfortunately, reports for children have found 32% experience stunted growth and 24% are underweight, with rural areas hit the hardest. Despite the current nutrition issues, Cambodia has put in a significant effort to bolster child health in the last twenty years.
Vietnam's population has an average height of 5 feet, 3.82 inches, including all genders. Although the country has been making progress during the last few decades, malnutrition is still rampant. Isolated demographics are one factor that makes the problem difficult to eradicate in Vietnam, especially in secluded mountain communities. ChildFund in Vietnam has made small, yet significant, strides in helping by providing milk to these communities' children. Internal strife has certainly taken a toll on its population's health as well. Hopefully, the situation will stabilize in the near future.
The Philippines has severe malnutrition problems that have affected its general population's adult height, which is currently averaging 5 feet, 3.7 inches. The European Commission recently released figures that show malnourishment in 28.8% of Filipino children under five years of age. This could lead to abnormalities such as stunting and academic struggle. Studies show that the problem is especially prevalent during early-age pregnancies, where the mother is not physically equipped for childbirth and childcare. Although feeding programs exist, funding and distribution are not meeting the high demand.
Bolivia has some of the shortest people in stature in the world, with its population's height averaging 5 feet, 2.9 inches tall between all genders. The country is one of the poorest in South America. One in three children under the age of five years struggles with chronic malnutrition, often leading to below-average heights. Genetics and hormonal factors are factors as well, with Bolivian girls more commonly affected than boys. Statistics on births from the City Hall of La Paz, Bolivia showed that 42% of babies had short height at birth as well. Canada, Belgium, and France have stepped in and created a food program to help alleviate malnutrition in Bolivia.
Indonesia's population takes first place when it comes to the shortest people; the average standing at a height of 5 feet, 2.2 inches. This trend has become generational with many children in Indonesia malnourished. The diet of Indonesia is rich, with staples like rice and wheat used throughout. Although there are many vegetarian dishes, most Indonesians do not practice strict vegetarianism. Duck and goat meat are commonly consumed, but pork is rarely found due to religious reasons. UNICEF is currently supporting a food program in Indonesia to address the issue.
Each of these countries has unique conditions that created a prevalence of shorter heights within their populations. Unfortunately, widespread malnutrition is a common theme. Geographical separation from infrastructure can put many rural communities at risk when attempting to stock up on affordable food sources. This presents an opportunity for nations and organizations around the world to step up and fill in the gap; everyone needs to eat. While height can be a symptom of nutrition, there are other factors such as genetics at play. These lists change frequently, as every generation of youth around the world experiences unique challenges and circumstances.
Among the findings, published in the journal eLife, the research revealed South Korean women and Iranian men have shown the biggest increases in height over the past 100 years. Iranian men have increased by an average of 16.5cm, and South Korean women by 20.2cm. Interactive world maps are available here.
The height of men and women in the UK has increased by around 11cm over the past century. By comparison, the height of men and women in the USA has increased by 6cm and 5cm, while the height of Chinese men and women has increased by around 11cm and 10cm.
The research also revealed once-tall USA had declined from third tallest men and fourth tallest women in the world in 1914 to 37th and 42nd place respectively in 2014. Overall, the top ten tallest nations in 2014 for men and women were dominated by European countries, and featured no English-speaking nation. UK women improved from 57th to 38th place over a century, while men had improved slightly from 36th to 31st place.
The researchers also found that some countries have stopped growing over the past 30 to 40 years, despite showing initial increases in the beginning of the century of study. The USA was one of the first high-income countries to plateau, and other countries that have seen similar patterns include the UK, Finland, and Japan. By contrast, Spain and Italy and many countries in Latin America and East Asia are still increasing in height.
How tall we grow is strongly influenced by nutrition and environmental factors, although an individual's genetic factors may also play a role. Children and adolescents who are better nourished and live in better environments tend to be taller, and height may even be influenced by a mother's health and nutrition during pregnancy. It has lifelong consequences for health and even education and earnings. Some research suggests people who are taller tend to live longer, gain a better education and even earn more. However, being tall may carry some health risks, as studies have linked height to a greater risk of certain cancers including ovarian and prostate.
Professor Majid Ezzati from the School of Public Health at Imperial who led the research said: "This study gives us a picture of the health of nations over the past century, and reveals the average height of some nations may even be shrinking while others continue to grow taller. This confirms we urgently need to address children and adolescents' environment and nutrition on a global scale, and ensure we're giving the world's children the best possible start in life."
He added: "Our study also shows the English-speaking world, especially the USA, is falling behind other high-income nations in Europe and Asia Pacific. Together with the poor performance of these countries in terms of obesity, this emphasises the need for more effective policies towards healthy nutrition throughout life."
Mary De Silva, Head of Population, Environment and Health at the Wellcome Trust, who co-funded the study, said: "This is a unique analysis that shows the real power of combining a hundred years of population data sources that span the globe. The most striking finding is that despite the huge increases in height seen in some countries, there is still a considerable gap between the shortest and tallest countries. More research is needed to understand the reasons for this gap and to help devise ways of reducing the disparities in health that still persist globally."
c80f0f1006