Humans are getting bigger....

[darth vader]

Why are humans evolving to be bigger? In earlier centuries people were definitely shorter so why are we seemingly evolving to be a taller species?

[Cathy]

The way I understand it, it is only at certain times in history people have been shorter than we are now. However, I think that it comes down to the general health of the population. We have better nutrition, more defences against disease, etc, which all effect the height that we grow to.

[FTVS]

I've alos heard a theory that growth hrmones that are pumped into cattle etc are transferring to us thus adding an extra boost. Any comments on this theory anyone?

[incitatus]

as growth hormones are illegal in european agriculture and we are still growing this is doubtfull. The answer is in feotal nutrition: better food in the womb makes you grow bigger in later life. It is not evolutionary, yet.

[darth vader]

Is this fact or just your opinion incitatus? (would be interested to hear it was the former......) cheers darth

[mikewith]

Can I just interrupt to say: incitatus, if it is indeed you, Welcome Back!

[incitatus]

who else would it be! The growth hormone thinbg is fact...we dont allow it. The foetal nutrition thing is probable....it certainly works out this way when you do it to animals, which is why domestic kittens tend to be enormous. And the correlation with diet matches up more closely with maternal feeding initiatives than with, say, school milk.

[mykola]

could also have something to do with the fact that were all sooner reaching puberty( ok some never do but thats another story) because puberty starts when a certain body-weight is reached. the (european) world is overeating, theres enough to eat nowadays &maybe the sooner start in puberty could mean a greater amount of growth hormones set free...