Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Why are Asian People Short?

East Asian people, who appear to be stereotypically shorter, have been increasing their average height relatively quickly through dietary improvements, as seen in nations such as South Korea and the People's Republic of China. [1] [2][3] [4] [5] Cultural influences, such as malnutrition and differences in diet, still prevalent in developing nations such as North Korea and the People's Republic of China, decrease the overall Asian growth rate. [6] [7] [8]

The short stature of East Asians may be contributed by micronutrient deficiency in developing nations or even consuming Asian diets in developed Western nations. These kind of malnutrition [9] such as low calcium intake partially due to lactose intolerance in 90% of their adult population, [10] [11] [12][13] limited consumption of protein, calories,[14] [15]iron,[16][17][18] vitamin A,[19] reduced vitamin D, partially from their nutrition; and also from their darker skin that synthesize vitamin D at a slower rate than whites, [20][21] iodine, [22] [23] [24] [25] [26][27] amongst many other nutritional deficiencies. Other factors, such as the consumption of large quantities of soy products which contains isoflavone may reduce growth rate.[28] [29] zinc,[30][31] amongst many other nutritional deficiencies. Other factors, such as the consumption of large quantities of soy products which contains isoflavone may reduce growth rate.[32][33][34][35][36] [37] Schools in The PRC is giving students soy milk. [38] Also, the Asian diet does not promote as much testosterone as Western diets do. [39] Consumption of white rice, the most popular staple food amongst Asians, and refined noddles and bread, can lead to micronutrient deficiency. [40] The consumption of white rice instead of whole grains, can also instigate a sudden increase of insulin production, which causes hormone imbalance and reduces growth hormones. [40]

Other factors such as their culture that devalues exercise [41][42] and calorie deficiency, and the Great Leap Forward that plausibly created famines, stunted the growth of many Chinese people. Fluoride poisoning and other environmental conditions, which have affects including growth stunting, and affect millions of East Asians. [43] [44] [45] [46]

East Asian cultures value white skin. [47] Many of the Asians often avoid participating in sports to avoid being tanned. [48] Therefore, they will not grow tall due to the lack of exercise and vitamin D defiency from avoiding the sun. [49] [41] Skin whiteners, which are unusually popular amongst Asians, contain toxic chemicals such as mercury or hydroquinone as the active ingredient, stunts growth of Asians including fetuses in pregnant women. [50][51]

Lactose intolerance only affects 2% of Swedish and 5% of Northern European adults and whites have the highest vitamin D intake. Thus, studies hypothesized that this might be an explanation for their relatively tall height.[52] [53][54][55]

References

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  2. ^ "Calcium deficiencies is also very common, and is thought to be one of the reason for shorter stature of some Asian populations, such as Vietnam and Laos compared to their counterparts in other Asian countries such as Singapore and Taiwan."
  3. ^ Human nutrition in the developing world, http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/W0073e/w0073e00.htm 
  4. ^ Effects of famine: Short stature evident in North Korean generation (2004) The Seattle Times
  5. ^ North Korea is failing to meet growth target (2004) Guardian Unlimited
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  32. ^ Fritz W, Wang J, Eltoum I, Lamartiniere C (2002). "Dietary genistein down-regulates androgen and estrogen receptor expression in the rat prostate". Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 186 (1): 89-99. PMID 11850125. 
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  53. ^ Lactose and Lactase, Norman Kretchmer, Scientific American, October, 1972
  54. ^ Identification of a variant associated with adult-type hypolactasia, Enattah NS, Sahi T, Savilahti E, Terwilliger JD, Peltonen L, Jarvela I, Nat Genet. 2002 Feb;30(2):233-7
  55. ^ Lactose Intolerance: The Molecular Explanation, UC Davis Nutritional Genomics website

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