How humans have changed over 100 years

Over the past century humans have physically changed. It's not evolution, but a direct reaction to our lifestyle. Source: ThinkStock

EVER thought how kids just seem to be much bigger these days? You're not just getting old, they really are growing.

According to scientists, over the past 100 years we've become taller, fatter and we live longer.

But it's not evolution at work before our eyes, according to the study in an article by Live Science there has not been enough time for such changes to occur; instead it's all down to our changes in diet, health, hygiene, and food distribution.

The transformation mankind has undergone in the last century starts with how we've grown like weeds.

A study published by the institute for the Study of Labour revealed young men in the United Kingdom have grown by 4 inches (10 centimetres) since the turn of the 20th century. Where they once stood at on average at 5ft 6, they now measure in at 5ft 10. The reason behind this growth spurt is most likely improved nutrition, researchers say.

And it's not just the UK where height is going north. People in the Netherlands hold the title for the world's tallest average height at 6ft 1, while those in former East Germany are growing after recovering from the social effects of communist rule.

It has been noted that countries that have suffered from war, poverty or disease have seen their average height decrease.

"It takes about five generations to overcome just one generation of starvation, or epidemic illness, or something like that," Barry Bogin, a professor of biological anthropology told Live Science.

Weighty issue

We're sorry to say but waistlines around the world are bulging too. It's estimated 29 per cent of the global population is obese — a figure that's doubled since 1980 alone, according to the World Health Organisation.

It's a fact. We're getting fatter. Source: ThinkStock

So what's the cause? Bogin has also been studying the difference between Maya children born in Mexico and those born in the United States and found those in the US were a staggering 4.5 inches taller.

Bogin believes the likely cause of this is down to the accessibility of more nutritious food in the US as well as being enrolled in lunch programs at schools and access to better health care.

But not only are the Mayan kids getting taller they are getting wider too. This increase in obesity also has knock-on effects with studies revealing the link to reaching puberty earlier.

"The influence of BMI on the age of puberty is now greater than the impact of race and ethnicity," Dr. Frank Biro, a professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio, told Live Science.

But the issue of why humans are getting fatter is a heated scientific debate. There's the obvious nod towards the increase in convenience foods, while some scientists blame genetics and other studies point the finger at poverty.

In any case it's evident that the shape of modern man has evolved a little bit of squidge around the sides.

If all of us getting fatter has weighed you down then maybe the news that we're all living longer might lighten your mood.

It's scientific fact we're all living longer than ever. According to WHO, in 1900 global average lifespan was just 31 years. When measured again back in 2005 the average rocketed to 65.

Average life expectancy is continuing to rise but it comes at a price. Source: ThinkStock

Advances in medicine, improved hygiene, sanitation and wider access to cleaner water have been highlighted as factors that have reduced death rates as result of infection. However, there is a flip side to all this cleanliness. Autoimmune diseases are becoming more common believes Stephen Stearns, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Yale University.

"Our theory is that when we moved to this super-hygiene environment, which only occurred in the last 50 to 100 years, this led to immune dysregulation."

In essence people are now dying from different diseases then we did in the past.

So as we move forward and technology (particularly medical technology) changes rapidly we face a future where mankind's evolution could be greatly influenced. Bionic implants, nanotechnology and disease-killing new drugs could all see us live to a ripe old age. We could become stronger, faster and more intelligent — some believe we could be looking at uploading computer processing technology to our own brains.

One scientist at CalTech believes we could reach technology for immortality within the next 30 years.

While this sounds a bit too sci-fi for our liking one this is for sure we, as humans, are rapidly developing and technology is an important influencing factor.

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