It’s Official: The Maltese Are Getting Taller!
Finally, something to be proud of: Maltese men and women are getting taller!
Yes, according to a new publication that studied how heights have changed around the world in the past 100 years, Maltese men and women fare better in 2014 than they did in 1914.
Maltese men now rank in 72nd place whereas they used to rank in 102nd place. Our average height seems to have grown by around 10cm over the decades.
Maltese women also placed 72nd but had an even higher jump, from 130th place back in 1896. On average, Maltese women have grown by more than 11cm.
The study found that Dutch men and Latvian women are the tallest people in the world.
On average, a Dutchman is now 183cm tall, compared to a Maltese man’s average of 174cm. The average Latvian woman reaches 170cm, compared to the Maltese woman’s average of 161cm.
Published in the journal eLife, the research has tracked growth trends in 187 countries.
It found that Iranian men and South Korean women increased their heights most impressively, by an average of more than 16cm (6in) and 20cm (8in) respectively.
The smallest men on the planet are to be found in East Timor (160cm) and the smallest women are from Guatemala.
And here’s the best bit. According to the publication taller people generally live longer, are less likely to suffer from heart disease and stroke, and taller women and their children are less likely to have complications during and after birth.
“Taller people may also earn more and be more successful at school. However, they are also more likely to develop some cancers.”
Well, there’s got to be some bad news, I guess.
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