Tall Children
Published by Rick on Saturday, August 30, 2008.
We are surrounded by evidence that we are taller and bigger than our ancestors – old buildings have low ceilings and low doors; over the years children’s clothe sizes have crept up and the narrower shoe sizes are no longer available.
During the 20th century, as society became more aware of good nutrition, children became taller and it was considered normal for children to be taller than their parents.
Interestingly, the children of the original taller children are even taller still, despite both generations sharing the same sort of nutritious diet. Indeed, in many cases, very modern children have a worse diet than their well-nourished parents but are still taller. There seems to be two reasons for this.
The first is that modern children sleep in the warm. Many older folk, including those who had the benefit of the better diet, will recall waking up on winter mornings with Jack Frost – ice – on the inside of their bedroom window.
Children grow most while they sleep at night. In the fourteen or fifteen years – say 5500 days – from being born until a child stops growing, they will grow in height by about 55 inches, so about a hundredth of an inch each night. If the bedroom is cold, the body has to expend energy in keeping warm before it can grow, so, on a particularly cold night growth is restricted or may even not take place. This potential is then lost for ever. One or two cold nights is not a problem, but a couple of hundred over childhood can reduce height by a couple of inches.
Secondly, society is more well. We are healthier and understand the nature of hygiene. In the same way as needing a warm place to sleep, the body needs to be well to grow.
A couple of generations ago few people washed their hands after a visit to the lavatory. Food was not as fresh then as it is now – there were no refrigerators and society was not rich enough for many people to be able to throw away old food. This did not normally bring serious illness but people would often casually complain of having an upset tummy and think nothing more of it, but on nights that a child went to bed slightly ill, they might not grow that night. Again, one or two nights over a lifetime is not a problem, but over hundreds can reduce height by a couple of inches.
Paradoxically, the circumstances leading to taller children are making us less well. Our body’s natural immune systems require to be activated and stressed by being confronted with illnesses to combat. This works best as a child than later as an adult. The more well and cleaner we become as children the less stress our immune system receives and so the less able it is to combat illnesses when we are older. This has started to appear as an increasing prevalence of allergies such as asthma.
Historically, noble and wealthy families tended to be taller as their children tended to sleep in warmer bedrooms, lived in more hygienic conditions and ate fresher food.
During the 20th century, as society became more aware of good nutrition, children became taller and it was considered normal for children to be taller than their parents.
Interestingly, the children of the original taller children are even taller still, despite both generations sharing the same sort of nutritious diet. Indeed, in many cases, very modern children have a worse diet than their well-nourished parents but are still taller. There seems to be two reasons for this.
The first is that modern children sleep in the warm. Many older folk, including those who had the benefit of the better diet, will recall waking up on winter mornings with Jack Frost – ice – on the inside of their bedroom window.
Children grow most while they sleep at night. In the fourteen or fifteen years – say 5500 days – from being born until a child stops growing, they will grow in height by about 55 inches, so about a hundredth of an inch each night. If the bedroom is cold, the body has to expend energy in keeping warm before it can grow, so, on a particularly cold night growth is restricted or may even not take place. This potential is then lost for ever. One or two cold nights is not a problem, but a couple of hundred over childhood can reduce height by a couple of inches.
Secondly, society is more well. We are healthier and understand the nature of hygiene. In the same way as needing a warm place to sleep, the body needs to be well to grow.
A couple of generations ago few people washed their hands after a visit to the lavatory. Food was not as fresh then as it is now – there were no refrigerators and society was not rich enough for many people to be able to throw away old food. This did not normally bring serious illness but people would often casually complain of having an upset tummy and think nothing more of it, but on nights that a child went to bed slightly ill, they might not grow that night. Again, one or two nights over a lifetime is not a problem, but over hundreds can reduce height by a couple of inches.
Paradoxically, the circumstances leading to taller children are making us less well. Our body’s natural immune systems require to be activated and stressed by being confronted with illnesses to combat. This works best as a child than later as an adult. The more well and cleaner we become as children the less stress our immune system receives and so the less able it is to combat illnesses when we are older. This has started to appear as an increasing prevalence of allergies such as asthma.
Historically, noble and wealthy families tended to be taller as their children tended to sleep in warmer bedrooms, lived in more hygienic conditions and ate fresher food.
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