A research group from the United Kingdom has found that increased well-being and improved health in countries for men is associated with both height and weight growth, with men growing more than twice compared to women. For this, data from 135,645 people across 62 countries, collected in 2003, were analyzed. Excluded from the study were data on individuals suffering from obesity.
The research indicated that the differences between the sexes in size and physical characteristics are pronounced: men were found to be taller and larger than women, and a correlation was also discovered between height and weight. Researchers noted that with improved social and ecological conditions in the country, including reduced overall loading from obesity, individuals gain height and weight, with men experiencing this twice as often as women.
According to the authors of the study, the results show that male height can serve as a useful indicator of public health and well-being, representing a relatively straightforward tool for assessment. However, they acknowledge that confirming the stated patterns will require more extended and broader studies tracking the same individuals over different times and in various countries.
According to the research published in Biology Letters, the relationship between country wealth and health, assessed through human development indicators, and the growth and mass of the body may indicate, likely, the influence of living conditions and quality of life on our bodies.
