The British are we a nation of half pints?

Madame_Goldbricker
Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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?

Replies

  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement 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
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    Eh, I'm 5'3". Lol. "Fun sized!"
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon 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.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon 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.
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 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!
  • HoneyDaggers
    HoneyDaggers Posts: 91 Member
    I thought this was about beer.
    5' 10" - half British. I guess it's my short side.
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 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.
  • MissFuchsia
    MissFuchsia 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
  • JADEPH0EN1X
    JADEPH0EN1X 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 !
  • LilAilsa
    LilAilsa Posts: 36
    So small I'm 5ft 1 :tongue:
  • SpookyElectric
    SpookyElectric 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?!
  • Inkratlet
    Inkratlet Posts: 613 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.

    +1

    I also thought this was about beer.
  • HertfordshireRose
    HertfordshireRose 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:
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,260 Member
    I also thought it was about beer
  • mrdexter1
    mrdexter1 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 !
  • HertfordshireRose
    HertfordshireRose 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:
    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:

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