Americans are Shrinking, Are You?

For as far back as the research data exists Americans have been the tallest people in the world. During the mid-nineteenth century, during World War I, we towered over the Europeans we were liberating. This has changed and Americans are no longer looking over the heads of the other developed countries of the world. Researchers feel that the height of the population is positively correlated to the socio-economic health of its society, the taller the healthier.

Studies show that since the end of WWII our growth as Americans has stopped while Western and Northern Europeans have continued growing. In every country of Western and Northern Europe their population has continued to grow. American men on average stand at 5’10” now. The men of Denmark are averaging 6’0” and the men of the Netherlands are at 6’1”. That’s an amazing gap that has occurred in less than one hundred years!

The alarming data associated with these numbers is the reason behind the stagnation in our growth compared to other countries. Typically, a country’s growth is stunted due to poor conditions, improper nutrition, and inadequate health care. This seems inconceivable for a country which is considered a world leader, a super power. A country that sends billions of dollars in aid to third world countries or to help distressed economies, a country which is spending billions on a war.

Benjamin Lauderdale at Princeton University and John Komlos at the University of Munich concluded "there is widespread agreement that nutritional intake, the incidence of diseases and the availability of medical services have a major impact on human size." Again, it seems unbelievable that the United States could possibly suffer improper nutrition, increased incidence of disease and lack of medical care and yet we know these all to be true.

The approach to healthcare in the United States is almost backwards compared to European nations. We focus on treating diseases, they focus on preventing diseases. Our system means more money for pharmaceutical companies, doctors and hospitals but businesses and individuals are paying the price.

Childhood poverty, or living in poverty while a person is developing is a major factor in how tall he or she will grow. The United States leads all other developed, industrialized nations in poverty levels. According to the Population Reference Bureau, one out of every five children in the US lives in poverty.

In addition to healthcare and poverty is the lack of family friendly value placed by most businesses on the start a child has in life. The United States is one of only five countries in the world which does not have paid maternity leave for its employees. Children cannot even have the benefit of nursing and the nutrients that provides a newborn if the mother is forced to return to work to support her share of the budget in the home.

There needs to be reform in the United States on so many levels in an effort to reverse this stunted growth pattern we have seen in the last few decades. Our society’s health and wellness must take precedence over some of the causes we are championing overseas. Charity begins at home and our people deserve a good start and a healthy life.

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