Do you have this feeling that when you walk on the street or sit on the subway, you will always see some Europeans and Americans, who are much taller than our people.
You might be wondering, why do they grow so tall? Are they genetically superior to ours? Or is there any secret to their diet and lifestyle?
Today, we will explore this issue to see the changes and influencing factors of European and American height, and whether our people can catch up with them.
Changes in the height and body shape of Europeans and Americans
First of all, we need to know that Europeans and Americans are not always taller than us. According to historical sources, before the 18th century, the average height of Chinese was even a few centimeters higher than that of Europeans.
At that time, China was one of the richest, most civilized and most powerful countries in the world, while Europe was in a dark, poor, and turbulent Middle Ages. Chinese have a much better diet and hygiene than Europeans, so Chinese are healthier and more well-developed.
However, in the late 18th century, with the outbreak of the Industrial Revolution, rapid economic and social development began in Europe. Europeans have seen significant improvements in living standards and medical care, and they are beginning to eat better, dress warmer, and live more comfortably.
At the same time, due to technological advances and colonial expansion, Europeans also began large-scale immigration and mixed-blood. These factors have contributed to the growth of European height. According to a study, from 1870 to 1980, the average height of European men increased by 11 centimeters, and women by 10 centimeters.
During the same period, China suffered a series of disasters and setbacks. The Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion, the Sino-Japanese War, the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Xinhai Revolution, the Beiyang Warlord Secession, the War of Resistance Against Japan, and the Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party plunged China into long-term war and turmoil.
The Chinese people have been devastated by external enemies and civil strife, and their lives are in dire straits. The diet and sanitary conditions of Chinese are extremely poor, many people do not have enough to eat, wear and warm, and the mortality rate is very high. These factors have severely hindered the development of Chinese height and body type.
According to one study, from 1890 to 1960, the average height of Chinese men increased by only 1.5 centimeters, and women increased by only 0.5 centimeters.
Therefore, in the early 20th century, Europeans and Americans have clearly exceeded the Chinese, forming a huge gap in height and size.
However, in the late 20th century, with the advancement of China's reform and opening up and economic construction, Chinese people began to enjoy the dividends brought by peace and development. Chinese have seen leaps and bounds in their standard of living and medical care, and they are starting to eat better, dress better, and live better.
At the same time, due to the popularization of education and the advancement of science and technology, Chinese has also begun large-scale urbanization and globalization. These factors have all contributed to the growth of Chinese height and body shape.
During the same period, the growth of height and body size of Europeans and Americans slowed down. This is because Europeans and Americans have reached a high level, and it is more difficult to continue to grow.
In addition, the diet and lifestyle of European and American people have also had some problems that are not conducive to the development of height and body shape. For example, Europeans and Americans generally like to eat high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar foods, resulting in obesity and overnutrition.
Europeans and Americans also generally lack exercise and exercise, resulting in a decline in physical function and metabolism. These factors have limited the growth of height and size in Europe and the United States. According to a study, from 1975 to 2019, the average height of European men increased by only 2.8 cm, and that of women by only 1.6 cm.
Therefore, in the early 21st century, Chinese has begun to narrow the gap in height and size with Europeans and Americans.
According to the latest data, the average height of 19-year-old men and women in China (175.7 cm for men / 163.5 cm for women) in 2019 surpassed that of South Korea (175.5 cm for men / 163.2 cm for women), ranking first in East Asia.
Compared with Europeans and Americans, the average height of 19-year-old men in China is only 0.4 cm lower than that of the United States (176.1 cm), 1.4 cm lower than that of the United Kingdom (177.1 cm), 2.5 cm lower than that of France (178.2 cm), and 4.2 cm lower than that of Germany (179.9 cm).
The average height of 19-year-old women in China is 1.3 cm taller than in the United States (162.2 cm), 0.6 cm taller than in the United Kingdom (162.9 cm), 0.9 cm lower than France (164.4 cm) and 2.1 cm lower than in Germany (165.6 cm).
Factors influencing the height of European and American people
So, why do Europeans and Americans grow taller than us? Are they genetically superior to ours? Actually, that's not the case.
According to genetics, genes can only determine a person's potential for height, not determinants. Whether a person can achieve his potential depends on the acquired environment and conditions.
For example, nutrition, health, exercise, sleep, hormones, and more. These factors can affect the development and change of a person's height and body shape.
Nutrition is one of the most important influencing factors. Nutrition provides the energy and substance the body needs to promote the growth and development of bones and muscles.
If a person eats well, balancedly, and reasonably from an early age, then it is possible that he will grow tall and strong. If a person eats poorly, undereats, and eats irrationally from an early age, then it is possible that he will grow short and thin.
According to a study, a person's height and weight have a lot to do with his diet. In general, a diet high in protein, high calcium, high in iron, and high in vitamins is conducive to the growth of height and body shape, while a diet high in sugar, high in fat and salt is harmful to the development of height and body shape.
Health is another important influencing factor. Health can ensure the normal functioning and function of the body, prevent and resist various diseases and injuries.
If a person is healthy, has strong immunity and good ability to withstand stress from an early age, then he is likely to grow tall and strong. If a person is weak, susceptible to infection, and vulnerable to injury from an early age, then he is likely to grow short and thin.
According to a study, a person's height and weight have a lot to do with his health. In general, people who are regularly vaccinated, regularly checked, and treated in time are conducive to the growth of height and body type, while people who are often sick, suffer from chronic diseases, and suffer trauma are not conducive to the development of height and body shape.
Exercise is an important influencing factor. Exercise promotes blood circulation and metabolism in the body, stimulating the growth and development of bones and muscles. If a person regularly exercises, exercises, and stays active from an early age, then it is possible that he will grow tall and strong.
If a person is rarely active, sedentary, and lacking in vitality from an early age, then he is likely to grow short and thin. According to a study, a person's height and weight have a lot to do with his exercise habits.
In general, people who do moderate aerobic exercise and strength training every day are conducive to the growth of height and body shape, while people who do little or no exercise per day are not conducive to the development of height and body shape.
Sleep is the last important factor. Sleep allows the body to get full rest and recovery, and promotes the secretion and regulation of hormones.
If a person guarantees adequate sleep time and quality from an early age, then it is possible that he will grow tall and strong. If a person lacks sleep time and quality from an early age, then he is likely to grow short and thin.
According to a study, a person's height and weight have a lot to do with how well he sleeps. In general, people who ensure more than 8 hours of deep sleep a day are conducive to the growth of height and body shape, while people who only sleep less than 6 hours a day or have poor sleep quality are not conducive to the development of height and body shape.
To sum up, the reason why Europeans and Americans can grow taller than us is not because they are born with superior genes, but because they have a better environment and conditions acquired after tomorrow.
These environments and conditions, including nutrition, health, exercise, sleep, etc., are all important factors affecting height and body shape. And the reason why our people do not grow taller than them is not because we are born with inferior genes, but because we do not have enough environment and conditions the day after tomorrow.
These environments and conditions, including nutrition, health, exercise, sleep, etc., are important factors that limit height and body shape.
Can Chinese catch up with the Europeans and Americans
So, can our people catch up with the Europeans and Americans? The answer is yes.
As long as we improve our environment and conditions, improve our nutrition, health, exercise, sleep and other levels, we may reach or even exceed the height and body level of Europeans and Americans. In fact, our people have made remarkable progress and achievements in this regard.
According to the latest data, in 2020, the average height of 19-year-old men and women in China (176.2 cm for men / 164.1 cm for women) surpassed that of Japan (175.7 cm for men / 163.6 cm for women), ranking first in East Asia.
What does this data say? It shows that our people have begun to narrow the gap in height and size with Europeans and Americans. Moreover, this shrinkage is trending faster and faster.
According to a forecast, by 2030, the average height of 19-year-old men and women in China will reach 178.6 cm and 166.4 cm, respectively, an increase of 2.4 cm and 2.3 cm from 2020.
By 2050, the average height of 19-year-old men and women in China will reach 180.8 cm and 168.5 cm respectively, an increase of 4.6 cm and 4.4 cm respectively from 2020. This means that in the next few decades, our people will likely reach or even exceed the height and body size of Europeans and Americans.
So, why do our people have such progress and achievements?
The reason is simple, it is because of the development and progress of our country. In the past few decades, our country has undergone historic changes in reform, opening up and economic construction, which has transformed our country from a poor and backward agricultural country into a rich and powerful industrial country.
Our country's GDP increased from 367.5 billion yuan in 1978 to 101598 billion yuan in 2020, an increase of 2765 times. Our country's per capita GDP increased from 381 yuan in 1978 to 72,447 yuan in 2020, an increase of 189 times.
What do these numbers say? It shows that our people's living standards and medical standards have improved by leaps and bounds, so that our citizens can eat better, dress better, live better, and see better.
At the same time, great achievements and progress have been made in the fields of education, science and technology, culture and sports, so that our people can learn better, play better and have better fun. These factors have contributed to the growth of our national height and size.
According to a study, from 1978 to 2020, the annual meat consumption of Chinese increased from 9.1 kg to 76.4 kg, an increase of 8.4 times. The annual consumption of dairy products in Chinese increased from 0.6 kg to 39.4 kg, an increase of 65.7 times.
The annual consumption of vegetables in Chinese increased from 62.9 kg to 145.5 kg, an increase of 2.3 times. What does this data say? It shows that our people's diet structure and nutritional level have improved significantly, so that our citizens can consume more protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, etc., which is conducive to the growth of height and body shape.
In short, our people can catch up with Europeans and Americans, narrow the gap in height and size, and possibly even surpass them, which is the joint efforts and achievements of our country and people.
This is also the self-confidence and pride of our country and people. We should be happy and proud of this, but we should also be humble and work hard for it.
We cannot ignore the development and progress of other aspects because of changes in height and body shape, nor can we have superiority or inferiority because of changes in height and body shape. We should recognize that height and body type are only a person's external characteristics, not a person's full value.
A person's inner quality, ability, literacy, sentiment, etc. are a person's true advantages and charms. We should take the change in height and body shape as an opportunity to pay more attention to and improve our inner cultivation and development, and strive to become a well-rounded and excellent person. Only in this way can we truly go to the world, to the future, and to glory.