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    The British are we a nation of half pints?

    Posts: 1,625 Member
    edited February 8 in Chit-Chat
    The notion was put forward in another post that people from the UK are in fact all apparently short. This was made in comparison to the US, & the idea was proffered that it may stem from the idea that US milk has growth hormones.

    I myself am 5'6" & amongst a group of female friends am probably the shortest by an inch or two. My brother is 6'3, dad 6'1, mam 5'10, & grandmother 6'1. Additionally most of my ex's were nearly all in the 6ft region.

    However, I'm now harbouring deep concerns that since the demise of free school milk. That we will now raise future generations of proverbial short a***'s?!...... So come on people of Britain are you short or tall?

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    Replies

    • Posts: 833 Member
      Does census data say Brits are generally shorter?

      I'm from California, but I spent some time in the UK and they all seemed pretty normal-sized to me. Pale, but normal-sized. :D
    • Posts: 10,913 Member
      Eh, I'm 5'3". Lol. "Fun sized!"
    • Posts: 7,436 Member
      The British, French and Spanish are short compared to other Europeans (Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians, Slavs etc). Yes I have checked the average heights of various European populations and these three countries show a difference. Also, in Britain, working class people (who are more Anglo-Saxon and Celtic) are on average shorter than middle and upper class people (who are more Norman) and that's been traditionally blamed on a poverty difference, but it could represent a genetic difference. (yes studies have shown a measurable difference in the amount of Norman DNA in British people based on social class).

      But that begs the question as to which Europeans make up the majority of white USA population, because you have a founding population issue, i.e. more genetic drift (which leads to loss of variation). But of course the USA has a whole bunch of other people besides Europeans, that are going to greatly increase the amount of variation, i.e. native Americans and African-Americans. And all the others who've emigrated there. Yes Britain has some immigration, but AFAIK it probably accounts for 1% of the population, while in the USA non-Europeans make up a much higher percentage of the population, and those Europeans may not be mainly descended from the British Isles. So you're not comparing like with like. And yes there are differences in average height between different ethnicities. The Masai and the Mbuti people of Africa being extreme examples.

      Anyway, you can't draw the conclusion that the height difference is as a result of lifestyle factors. There are a whole bunch of genetic and population factors that make the USA population different to the UK population which could explain the differences in average height.
    • Posts: 7,436 Member
      Eh, I'm 5'3". Lol. "Fun sized!"

      I'm 5'1" and I'm British and I'm a short-*kitten*.

      I don't think British people are that short compared to the rest of the world though. I've never met a British woman that's shorter than me, and while Brits may be short compared to Norwegians etc, since I've been living in the Arab world I've met loads of women that are shorter than me. Asians seem to be, in general, shorter than Europeans, though of course that's a sweeping generalisation and there's a lot of variation between different populations within Asia, as well as between different populations within Europe. But I'm really short for a British woman.
    • Posts: 317 Member
      5'9" here and although taller than some, about average for my group of friends, acquaintances and work colleagues. So no, don't think so!
    • Posts: 91 Member
      I thought this was about beer.
      5' 10" - half British. I guess it's my short side.
    • Posts: 3,189 Member
      The British, French and Spanish are short compared to other Europeans (Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians, Slavs etc). Yes I have checked the average heights of various European populations and these three countries show a difference. Also, in Britain, working class people (who are more Anglo-Saxon and Celtic) are on average shorter than middle and upper class people (who are more Norman) and that's been traditionally blamed on a poverty difference, but it could represent a genetic difference. (yes studies have shown a measurable difference in the amount of Norman DNA in British people based on social class).

      But that begs the question as to which Europeans make up the majority of white USA population, because you have a founding population issue, i.e. more genetic drift (which leads to loss of variation). But of course the USA has a whole bunch of other people besides Europeans, that are going to greatly increase the amount of variation, i.e. native Americans and African-Americans. And all the others who've emigrated there. Yes Britain has some immigration, but AFAIK it probably accounts for 1% of the population, while in the USA non-Europeans make up a much higher percentage of the population, and those Europeans may not be mainly descended from the British Isles. So you're not comparing like with like. And yes there are differences in average height between different ethnicities. The Masai and the Mbuti people of Africa being extreme examples.

      Anyway, you can't draw the conclusion that the height difference is as a result of lifestyle factors. There are a whole bunch of genetic and population factors that make the USA population different to the UK population which could explain the differences in average height.
      Just qouting this to make sure people don't skim past the intelligent answer.
    • Posts: 523 Member
      I thought this was about beer.
      5' 10" - half British. I guess it's my short side.

      I thought this was about beer too. :drinker:

      I'm 5'8" which I think is about average amongst my friends
    • Posts: 162 Member
      I'm from a tall family , I'm 5"9.5 & my brother is 6'4 - the shortest is my sister who is still a respectable 5'7 !
    • Posts: 36
      So small I'm 5ft 1 :tongue:
    • Posts: 56 Member
      I'm 5'9" - maybe a little on the tall side compared to my friends. However, whenever I visit Cardiff, I feel like a GIANT!! Full of short, angry welsh girls. Maybe it's regional?!
    • Posts: 613 Member
      show previous quotes
      Just qouting this to make sure people don't skim past the intelligent answer.

      +1

      I also thought this was about beer.
    • Posts: 21
      I'm an English woman and 5' 9". I have always considered myself taller than average though it seems many other English women tend to be on the tall side as well. Maybe in England we serve full pints and the rest of Britain is full of shorties. :wink:
    • Posts: 1,251 Member
      I also thought it was about beer
    • Posts: 356 Member
      I m 5ft 8 and I can confirm some Americans are taller than me when they are laid down and I hear that number is growing !
    • Posts: 21
      show previous quotes
      I consider 5'9 tall for a female..actually very tall.

      Be careful what you say or I'll grind your bones to make my bread. :tongue:
    This discussion has been closed.

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