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Cited by 60Child Nutrition and Water AccessHistorical Economic and Social StudiesBirth, Development, and Health

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Stunting is the natural condition of human height

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Scheffler, Christiane, Hermanussen, Michael·2022·American Journal of Human Biology
DOI 10.1002/ajhb.23693
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Abstract

Objectives Human body height differs within a wide range and has conventionally been associated with genetic, nutritional, and environmental conditions. In this study, we try to broaden this perspective and add the evolutionary aspect of height differences. Sample and Method We revisited height from archeological data (10 000–1000 BC), and historical growth studies (1877–1913). We analyzed height, weight, and skinfold thickness of 1666 Indonesian schoolchildren from six representative rural and urban elementary schools in Bali and West Timor with a stunting prevalence of up to 50%. Results Stature in the Holocene prehistory of the Near East and Europe varied with maxima for women usually ranging below 160 cm, and maxima for men between 165 and 170 cm. Stature never rose above 170 cm. European and white US-American schoolchildren of the 19th and 20th century were generally short with average height ranging between −1.5 and −2.2 hSDS, yet in the absence of any evidence of chronic or recurrent undernutrition or frequent illness, poverty, or disadvantageous living conditions. The same is found in contemporary Indonesian schoolchildren. Conclusion Stunting is frequently observed not only in the poor, but also in affluent and well-nourished social strata last 10 000 years. Only in very recent history, and only in a few democratic, modern societies, stature has increased beyond the long-lasting historic height average. Viewed from an evolutionary perspective, and considering adaptive plasticity of and community effects on growth, competitive growth and strategic growth adjustments, stunting appears to be the natural condition of human height.

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Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 13

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Metadata

Authors
Scheffler, C., & Hermanussen, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Potsdam (DE)
  • Pediatrician Altenhof Germany
Corresponding author
Scheffler, Christiane
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Human Biology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-11-11
Volume
34
Issue
5
Pages
e23693-e23693
ISSN
  • 1042-0533 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-6300
DOI
10.1002/ajhb.23693
OpenAlex
W3212477066
Cited by
60
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 5
FWCI
6.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • American Journal of Human Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Historical Economic and Social Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Birth, Development, and Health
Keywords
stunting, height, skinfold thickness, elementary school students, Indonesian children, Bali, West Timor, adaptive plasticity, competitive growth
MeSH terms
Body Height, Child, Female, Growth Disorders, Humans, Male, Nutritional Status, Skinfold Thickness, Malnutrition

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