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Men got taller and heavier at twice the rate of women over past century: Study shows evolutionary change

Jan 24, 2025 11:32 AM IST

A study revealed a trend- men are taller and heavier than women. The researchers highlighted the causes.

Regular men are naturally more muscular and taller than women. But this is not a contemporary incident, it developed with a gradual evolutionary process. This has been seen over the years- the surprising physical change in men worldwide. A new study added more to it and uncovered an interesting revelation.

Men are taller and heavier than women.(Pexels)
Men are taller and heavier than women.(Pexels)

Over the past century, men have gained height and weight at a rate twice as fast as women. There’s a stark disparity in height and weight between men and women, but what are the causes? This study narrows down on them.

ALSO READ: Men vs women: Who sleeps better? New study explores how gender differences, caregiving roles impact sleep

Men grow taller in improved living conditions

The research was conducted by Prof. Lewis Halsey and his team at the University of Roehampton. They examined data from multiple countries, looking at how height and weight changes over the past century correlate with living conditions. They also used the Human Development Index (HDI) to assess the living conditions. HDI involves life expectancy, education, and income levels to understand living conditions. With the improvement in living conditions, men and women grow both taller and heavier but this change is more predominant in men.

The study showed that for each 0.2 point increase in HDI, the average height of women increased by 1.7 cm and their weight by 2.7 kg, whereas men grew 4 cm taller and gained 6.5 kg. It is important to note that the environment is crucial in physical development, for both men and women, but especially for men.

Understanding role of sexual attraction

Women see tall men with a sense of protection.(Pexels)
Women see tall men with a sense of protection.(Pexels)

Taller and muscular men are deemed sexually attractive, and they may even have been preferred over their counterparts by women. Study author Prof. Halsey said, “Women can find men’s height attractive because, potentially, it makes them more formidable, but also because being taller suggests they are well-made,”

So to sum it up in simple words, the study explored sexual size dimorphism (SSD), the difference in size between males and females, which in humans generally shows men as taller and heavier. This size disparity isn't random but deeply rooted in evolutionary reasons.

Larger men have a kind of advantage as they may be seen as stronger, which could signal better protection, a trait subconsciously preferred by women. However, being larger also makes men more vulnerable to environmental stressors like poor nutrition and disease, as bigger bodies are more affected by such challenges.

ALSO READ: Study shows men, not women, are more prone to emotional money spending. Here’s why

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Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
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