Why height of common people in India decreasing?

Ground Report | New Delhi: Why height of common people in India decreasing; Scientists are surprised that when the height of people is increasing all over the world, then why is the opposite happening in India. Researchers say that contrary to the global trend, the decline in the average height of common citizens in India is a matter of concern.

The Center for Social Medicine and Community Health at Delhi's premier educational institution Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has conducted research based on the government's annual National Family and Health Survey. According to the results of this research report, the average height of adults in India is falling alarmingly.

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Why height of common people in India decreasing

The study analyzed the average height and social and economic background of men and women between the ages of 15 and 25 and between the ages of 26 and 50. The research is published in the open-access science journal PLOS One.

According to the report, there has been a significant decline in the height of adult males and females in India between 2005-06 and 2015-16 as compared to 1998-99. The greatest decline in height was seen among poor and tribal women.

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According to this report, the average height of women is decreasing faster than men. Most affected by this are those women who come from the SC or ST community. The height of a five-year-old girl from the Scheduled Tribe community has decreased by 2 cms as compared to the girl from the general category. Whereas the average height of women coming from wealthy households has increased.

In the case of men, the situation is not good for any class, which means men, whether rich or poor or from a backward caste, their average height has decreased by about one centimeter.

stature difference between rich and poor

The decline in the average height of Indian people is against the global trend. The researchers involved in the research wrote, "The decline in the average height of adults in India is a matter of concern due to the increase in the average height worldwide, and the reasons for this need to be identified immediately. As well as for different genetic groups of the Indian population." The arguments for different parameters of length need further consideration."

This decrease in the average height among the people of the country has come since the year 2005, while the height of the people of the country was increasing since the year 1989.

The average height of women in India is five feet one inch and the average height of males is five feet four inches. However, some researchers seem to disagree with this claim. 

Researchers say that various factors affect the body length of adult men and women. Genetic factors play a role in 60-80 percent of a person's height, with environmental and social factors also playing an important role.

The authors of the report say that it is a matter of concern that the decline in the average height of people in India is also due to non-genetic factors. These include lifestyle, nutritional, social, and economic factors.

why stature

In Indian society, tallboys and girls are considered better than short ones. Those with tall height are considered more influential in the society and in Indian society, parents also want their child to be more in height than other children.

Experts believe that many factors are involved in the increase or decrease in the height of people living in a society and it will not be right to draw final conclusions on the basis of anyone's study. Experts agree that further research is needed on this issue. At the same time, he says that in addition to providing adequate and nutritious food to every section of society, it is more important to focus on providing basic social and environmental services that improve the quality of life.

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