Imperial College London recently made an international analysis of school children’s height and weight and teenagers from different countries. This study was published in the journal, The Lancet.
There were 65 participants in the study from 193 countries aged 5 to 19 years old. The researchers found out that their height and weight, which indicate the quality of the food they eat, differ significantly.
Among the 19-year old participants, there was a 20-cm gap between the tallest and shortest countries. This shows an 8-year growth difference for girls and a 6-year growth difference for boys.
For example, the study indicated that an average 19-year-old Bangladeshi and Guatemalan girl has the same height as an average 11-year girl from the Netherlands. Bangladesh and Guatemala have the shortest girls, and the Netherlands has the tallest girls and boys in the entire world
The team also gave a warning about the varying nutrition children get. If there is a lack of quality diet, it could result in growth stunt or obesity, which could affect children for the rest of their life.
