View Full Version : The coast of giants: An anthropometric survey of high schoolers on the Adriatic coast of Croatia
Link to full paper:https://peerj.com/preprints/3388/
The aim of this anthropometric survey was to map regional differences in height and body proportions in eight counties adjacent to the Adriatic coast of Croatia. Body height was measured in 1803 males and 782 females aged 17-20 years at 66 schools in 23 towns. When corrected for population size, average male height in the eight counties is 182.6 cm (182.8 cm in seven counties of Adriatic Croatia and 183.7 cm in four counties of Dalmatia proper). Regional variation is considerable (3.5 cm): from 180.6 cm in the county of Karlovac to 184.1 cm in the county of Split-Dalmacija. The height of females in the eight counties is 168.2 cm (168.3 cm in Adriatic Croatia and 168.5 cm in Dalmatia proper), but it is based on more limited data. The results show that young men from Dalmatia are currently the tallest in the world in the age category of 18 years, and the north-to-south gradient of increasing stature on the Adriatic coast largely mirrors that in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). These parallel changes of height in Croatia and BiH can most likely be explained by unique genetic predispositions that are shared by the local populations of the Dinaric Alps.
https://i.imgur.com/nZn9Wrm.png
Our previous study dealing with the stature of young males in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) (Grasgruber et al., 2017) confirmed older reports according to which the people from the Dinaric Alps are one of the tallest in the world. It is obvious that they cannot currently reach their genetic potential due to poverty and a relatively poor quality of their diet, but given the presence of these factors, their height is even more remarkable. The height of young men from Herzegovina aged 17-20 years is 183.4 cm, which is only a slightly lower value than in the wealthy and well-fed Dutch (183.8 cm), who are officially the tallest in the world (Schönbeck et al., 2012). Furthermore, our comparisons indicate that local Muslim (Bosniak) men in Herzegovina are 2-3 cm shorter than Croats and Serbs living in the same regions or even the same towns. These differences in height are very strongly associated with the regional production of pork. Because pork is absent in the diet of Muslims for religious reasons, this result independently confirms the key role of high-quality nutrients from pork in child nutrition, as can be seen from our previous ecological studies (Grasgruber et al., 2014; Grasgruber et al., 2016). The study of Pineau et al. (2005) performed between 2001-2003 showed that areas with extraordinary height are not limited to Herzegovina and have an analogy on the Adriatic coast in Dalmatia. This study covered the region of Split and Šibenik, Drniš, Sinj, Imotski, Vrgorac and Dubrovnik, but not northern Dalmatia (counties of Zadar and Lika-Senj) and the northern Adriatic coast of Croatia. The authors reported a mean height of 183.8 cm (n = 1253) in local males aged 17 years (J.-C. Pineau – pers. communication, 2013). The averages of high schools in individual towns ranged from 183.1 cm in Dubrovnik (n=259) through 184.5 cm in Split (n=875) to 187.0 cm in Drniš (n=21). These values are similar to those that we documented in Herzegovina. However, the pooled average of 18-to-19-year old boys in the Croatian capital of Zagreb was only 180.1 cm in 2010 (n=133) (Petranović et al., 2014). In a nationwide study performed between 2006-2008, the average height of Croatian boys aged 18 years was 180.5 cm (n=358)(Jureša et al., 2012). These data strongly suggest that the Dalmatian phenomenon is only a regional anomaly and height decreases rapidly in the northern direction towards mainland Croatia. Indeed, historical data show that the average Croatian recruit around 1883 was 165.5 cm tall (Komlos, 2007), but height on the Adriatic coast ranged from 166 cm in Istria to 171 cm in southernmost Dalmatia (Coon, 1939).
lthough Dalmatia has a very pleasant Mediterranean climate, it has suffered from severe deforestation since the Neolithic (Kranjc, 2009), which led to the creation of an unhospitable ‘limestone desert’ covered by grass and bush. The local population has historically relied on pastoralism and at present, the inland Dalmatia is characterized by high rates of emigration for economic reasons. Furthermore, during the war events 1991-1995, ethnic tensions in the counties of Šibenik-Knin, Zadar, Lika-Senj and Karlovac led to the displacement of the local Serbian population. After the end of the war, the areas experienced an influx of Croatian (Catholic) refugees from BiH. Because of these ongoing population changes, our research is one of the last opportunities to capture the original distribution of anthropological characteristics in this region. We were particularly interested in whether the north-to-south height gradient follows that documented in BiH – from 180.0 cm in Canton Una-Sana to 184.5 cm in the region of Trebinje. Therefore, we decided to include the whole area of coastal Croatia adjacent to the border of BiH.
o provide detailed mapping of body height and some other anthropological characteristics on the territory of the Dinaric Alps, which would enable better understanding of this intriguing phenomenon. At present, this project already covers Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Kosovo. In addition, preliminary measurements of university students were performed in Albania during the year 2017. The survey in Montenegro will be repeated in 2018. The present study was realized within the project "Anthropological research of sports potential in Dalmatia", number MUNI/A/1090/2016, with the support of the Specific University Research Grant, as provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of theCzech Republic in the year 2016. Its primary objective was to measure body height and some body proportions (sitting height, arm span) on the territory of Adriatic Croatia, as defined by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (Narodne novine, 2012). This region consists of seven counties (županijas): Istra, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Lika-Senj, Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmacija a Dubrovnik-Neretva. Total population in these seven counties is 1.41 million (33% of the total Croatian population) (Croatian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). Because the counties of Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Lika-Senj are largely separated by the mainland county of Karlovac, we also decided to include the latter to have a more complete picture (Fig. 1). The eight counties together comprise 1.54 million people (36% of the total Croatian population). Target population. The target population consisted of high schoolers (3rd and 4th graders) aged 17-20 years. Similar to our previous study in BiH, we always tried to measure the broadest spectrum of schools, from vocational to elite high schools (gimnazija). Our general goal was to incorporate sufficiently representative samples of ≥ 200 individuals from each region. For organizational or time reasons, it was not always possible to measure a sufficiently large sample of both sexes and hence we again concentrated mainly on males. The same limitations infuenced the measurement of body proportions. Data collection. The research was performed between April 2015-May 2017. Very few of the schools contacted refused to participate, which allowed us to meet most of our goals. The measurements were conducted using two devices – a mobile stadiometer SECA 213 and a specially constructed apparatus designed for the measurement of height, sitting height and arm span.
Remarkably, the anomaly in the area of Čapljina (185.9 cm) and Široki Brijeg (185.4 cm), where we found the tallest means in BiH, has an analogy on the Croatian side of the border in the towns of Metković (184.9 cm), Imotski (186.2 cm) and Makarska (187.6 cm) (Table 3). Although all the samples are relatively small (21-38 males), such a high frequency of extremely tall means within a small geographical area cannot be a mere coincidence. This suggests that the peak of male height should be sought in the area demarcated by Makarska –Imotski –Široki Brijeg –Čapljina - Metković.
Average male and female height in 14 individual towns accoding to the self-reported place of residence. Only towns with at least 20 measured individuals are included. In the direction to the north of this area, height begins to decrease quite rapidly, although this change is not always evident at the level of individual towns. The average of the Šibenik-Knin county (183.4 cm) is 0.7 cm lower than in the Split-Dalmacija county, but boys from Šibenik are still very tall (184.2 cm), taller than boys in Split. A similarly high mean was found in the school in Drniš (184.4 cm, n=42), which is situated approx. 35 km far inland. In fact, a small sample of boys resident in Drniš (186.6 cm, n=15) reached almost the same average height as the sample of Pineau et al. mentioned above (187.0 cm). However, two schools in Knin, which is approx. 25 km further inland, were much shorter (182.8 cm, n=39) and a sample of boys resident in Knin reached only 181.7 cm. We cannot exclude the possibility that these large differences between coastal and inland regions are due to relatively small sample sizes, but the same findings were previously reported even by Prebeg (1988) and ascribed to economic factors.
https://i.imgur.com/y1S6kk9.png
In the direction to the north of this area, height begins to decrease quite rapidly, although this change is not always evident at the level of individual towns. The average of the Šibenik-Knin county (183.4 cm) is 0.7 cm lower than in the Split-Dalmacija county, but boys from Šibenik are still very tall (184.2 cm), taller than boys in Split.
Unlike young men that are tallest in the world in one specific region, Croatian females are quite shorter than that. Female height:
After the correction for population size, the average female height would be 168.5 cm in Dalmatia, 168.3 cm in seven counties of Adriatic Croatia and 168.2 cm in all eight counties. In general, it seems that girls in counties with the tallest boys (around 184 cm) reach a height of approximately 169 cm (Table 4). This is a very tall mean, but not as tall as in the young women aged 20-21 years in the Netherlands (170.5 cm) (Schönbeck et al., 2012) and shorter than the results of Pineau et al.(2005)from Split (171.1 cm, n=873) and Drniš (174.3 cm, n=42). In the present study, we found only one school with a mean height over 170 cm - Gimnazija Imotski (170.5 cm, n=24). The only female sample measured by Pineau et al. which stands close to our results is that from Dubrovnik (169.4 cm, n=259). Relationship between male and female height. The unexpectedly shorter height of girls is accompanied by an unusually large difference in mean height between boys and girls in the eight counties, reaching 15.5 cm in the county of Šibenik-Knin and 14.4 cm on average (when comparing means corrected for population size). Even if we compare samples that are most representative (Istra, Karlovac), the sex difference is still 14.4 and 14.0 cm, respectively. At the same time, the usual difference in Europe is only 13 cm.
The sex differences between men and women in former Yugoslavia appear to be larger than the global trend line predicts.
That's because their mothers would spank them if they didn't finish eating their meat at dinner
https://i.imgur.com/knUmYjj.png
The quality of nutrition in Croatia is still deeply suboptimal, which is a situation that has analogies even in other countries of the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia). Only Slovenia (1.56) and Montenegro (1.53) are above the European mean.
https://i.imgur.com/2ZZnwlL.png
You forgot this
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DdXAjWDUQAAsR-x.jpg
Genetics. The genetic aspects of the exceptional stature on the Adriatic coast are certainly the most interesting, but still supported only by a superficial genetic marker – frequencies of Y haplogroup I-M170 in the European context (Fig. 6). This mutation on the male Y chromosome can be linked with the Upper Paleolithic Gravettian culture and after the end of the Ice Age, it expanded from the ‘Epigravettian’ glacial refugium around the Adriatic sea (for a more detailed discussion, see our previous paper Grasgruber et al., 2017). All we can say at the moment is that North European populations carrying high frequencies of I-M170 deed do carry single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with tall stature(Robinson et al., 2015).
https://i.imgur.com/25uTQWv.png
Remarkably, regional data on I-M170 frequencies from Herzegovina, Bosnia, the Zadar county in Dalmatia and Dubrovnik (Peričić et al., 2005; Šarac et al., 2016) fit the relationship between height and I-M170 at the country level, although height is still lower than expected, especially in the case of the Zadar county. This can be explained by the very small size of the Zadar genetic sample (n=25). Only Kosovo is a clear exception, apparently due to the strong recent drift of Y haplogroup E1b-M78 in the local Albanians (Peričić et al., 2015).
To our knowledge, this study constitutes the most detailed report on the regional differences in stature on the Adriatic coast of Croatia since the 1980s. As already mentioned above, these differences reached 5 cm (166-171 cm) at the end of the 19th century and this range has largely persisted until today, because we documented a 3 cm gap (181.1-184.1 cm) between the counties of Istra and Split-Dalmacija. It is intriguing that height in individual counties mirrors the height in the neighbouring cantons of BiH. Therefore, if any local factors influence stature, they must work similarly on both sides of the border. The peak of male height in the Dinaric Alps was observed in southern Dalmatia and the Croatian-speaking western Herzegovina, approximately in the area demarcated by the towns of Makarska – Imotski –Široki Brijeg –Čapljina –Metković, where we encounter averages around 185 cm or higher. Another peak may exist in central and northwestern Montenegro, in the municipalities of Kolašin & Savnik (185.5 cm, n=30) and Plužine & Žabljak (184.9 cm, n=28) (Popović, 2017), but the samples are apparently very small. In the same survey, the tallest Montenegrin females were found in the northwestern municipalities of Nikšić (170.9 cm, n=204) and Plužine-Žabljak (170.1 cm, n=34), which are values that our female samples from Dalmatia cannot match. These results delimit regions, which can be targeted in future genetic studies aimed at more detailed investigation of the Dinaric phenomenon. Although the Dutch are still officially the tallest nation in the world with averages of 183.8 cm in men and 170.5 cm in women (if we pool the means of 20-21 year olds) (Schönbeck et al., 2012), it should be noted that the average is only 182.4 cm and 169.7 cm in the age category of 18 years, and 183.6 cm and 170.1 cm in the age category of 19 years. The size of the samples is also quite small (only 211 males and 215 females aged 20-21 years) and it is not entirely clear, if the samples past high-school age (18+ years) are not artificially elevated due to the inclusion of university students (as mentioned in the ‘Methods’ section of that paper). Therefore, these data from the Netherlands cannot be perfectly compared with our data from the Balkans, where we targeted males and females aged 17-20 years, with a preponderance of 18-year olds. In fact, both 18-year old boys from Dalmatia (n=839) and Herzegovina (n=632) reach 183.6 cm, and Dalmatians would be even slightly taller than Herzegovinians, if we took population size in regions into account. Although the mean height of Montenegrin boys aged 17-20 years is only 182.9 cm, when corrected for regional population size, they may also be taller than their Dutch peers.
Areas with the tallest statures above 182 cm lie on the inner side of the ridge in Herzegovina, Dalmatia and central/northwestern Montenegro. This picture shows that height in the Dinaric Alps is not connected with the limestone bedrock per se, which would not support the hypothesis of Coon (1970), who speculated that height in North Albanians living on limestone is elevated due to the high mineral content in the food chain. Rather, height peaks behind the mountain range, which historically served as a barrier to genetic flow.
Interestingly, the height of contemporary Albanian men is only 174.0 cm, which is 8.9 cm shorter than in Montenegrins,and 5.5 cm shorter than in Kosovar Albanians. Preliminary results from Albanian universities confirm that these large differences are real (S. Popović, 2017 – pers. communication). Because the quality of nutrition in Albania appears to be similar to that of BiH, Croatia, or Serbia, and the GDP per capita in Kosovo (for 2016) is 18% lower than in Albania (The World Bank), this remarkable phenomenon deserves further research. It is striking that we cannot again confirm the results by Pineau et al. (2005) from the years 2001-2003, who reported a higher male height in Herzegovina (+1.6 cm) and mostly higher male and female means in the individual regions of Dalmatia. The authors list a mean male height of 183.1 cm in the schools of Dubrovnik (n=259), 184.5 cm in Split (n=875) and 187.0 cm in Drniš (n=21). We found a mean height of 183.6 cm in the schools of Dubrovnik (n=172), 183.6 cm in Split (n=228) and 184.4 cm in Drniš (n=42).
Conclusion: In summary, the data presented in our article demonstrate that people from Dalmatia currently belong to the tallest in the world, and local young men are even the tallest in the age category of 18 years. However, this phenomenon is limited only to the territory of Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. Other regions of Croatia are characterized by a much shorter stature and these large regional differences have persisted at least since the end of the 19th century. The taller statures in Adriatic Croatia can be, at least partly, linked with more favourable economic conditions, but these factors cannot explain, why the north-to-south gradient is very similar both in Adriatic Croatia and in BiH, on both sides of the mountain range forming a natural border between these two countries.
Because we are not aware of any environmental factor that could be responsible for these geographical trends, specific genetic predispositions shared by these populations are the most likely explanation. On the other hand, the striking shortness of Albanians, when compared to the neighbouring Montenegrins and Kosovar Albanians, represents a different kind of extreme, which would require clarification in future studies. Another fundamental finding is the fact that the secular height trend in Croatia has been negatively influenced by the economic depression in the 1990s. The onset of the economic crisis in 2008 further delayed a marked improvement in living standards. However, because the quality of nutrition in Croatia is still below the European standards, a further continuation of the positive height trend is still possible. In the near future, we would want to cover even the rest of mainland Croatia and describe regional differences across the whole country.
Mingle
11-07-2018, 10:24 PM
Unlike young men that are tallest in the world in one specific region, Croatian females are quite shorter than that. Female height:
After the correction for population size, the average female height would be 168.5 cm in Dalmatia, 168.3 cm in seven counties of Adriatic Croatia and 168.2 cm in all eight counties. In general, it seems that girls in counties with the tallest boys (around 184 cm) reach a height of approximately 169 cm (Table 4). This is a very tall mean, but not as tall as in the young women aged 20-21 years in the Netherlands (170.5 cm) (Schönbeck et al., 2012) and shorter than the results of Pineau et al.(2005)from Split (171.1 cm, n=873) and Drniš (174.3 cm, n=42). In the present study, we found only one school with a mean height over 170 cm - Gimnazija Imotski (170.5 cm, n=24). The only female sample measured by Pineau et al. which stands close to our results is that from Dubrovnik (169.4 cm, n=259). Relationship between male and female height. The unexpectedly shorter height of girls is accompanied by an unusually large difference in mean height between boys and girls in the eight counties, reaching 15.5 cm in the county of Šibenik-Knin and 14.4 cm on average (when comparing means corrected for population size). Even if we compare samples that are most representative (Istra, Karlovac), the sex difference is still 14.4 and 14.0 cm, respectively. At the same time, the usual difference in Europe is only 13 cm.
The sex differences between men and women in former Yugoslavia appear to be larger than the global trend line predicts.
That's because the height difference between men and women is an exponential value. This means that the greater the mean height, the greater the percent mean difference. Once you add into the fact that this is based on an exponential scale, this means that the "9%" figure will increase as the height increases.
If I'm not mistaken, the average height difference between American men and women is about 9% or so. This is higher in Croatia (due to the fact Croats are taller) nd thus the height difference is also higher.
Regnera
11-08-2018, 11:12 PM
The Balkanites are really tall
Rieder
11-09-2018, 01:01 AM
There is nowhere near enough data on the the genetic height potential of hyperbrachyskelic Nilotic groups.
Even with the lack of data, we can be sure the the legs of the hyperbrachyskelic nilotes are the longest in the world and that the nilotes have more of a tendency towards long legs than any other group.
Hyperbrachyskelic Nilotes have longer legs than for example Dinarics because not only are they tall but because the ratio of their sitting height to standing height is quite low. Sometimes the ratio can be extremely low as low as 45.7%.
Even if the tallest Nilotes are not taller than Dinarics or even Dutch people their legs are longer and nobody can deny that.
Daco Celtic
11-09-2018, 01:06 AM
It's weird that Romanians are so close in genetics to Serbians and to a lesser degree Croatians but Romanians are so much shorter on average. You guys are lucky.
aherne
11-09-2018, 05:24 AM
It's weird that Romanians are so close in genetics to Serbians and to a lesser degree Croatians but Romanians are so much shorter on average. You guys are lucky.
I don't know how close they are genetically, but in phenotype they are the most distinct. Definitely we (I'm not a good example, though) look closer to Bulgarians and Hungarians... I've been in Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Only in Eastern Serbia people look like Romanians/Bulgarians and that's because many are of recent Romanian blood (check a 19th century ethnic map) or simply because they are of same Thracian ancestry.
There is nowhere near enough data on the the genetic height potential of hyperbrachyskelic Nilotic groups.
Even with the lack of data, we can be sure the the legs of the hyperbrachyskelic nilotes are the longest in the world and that the nilotes have more of a tendency towards long legs than any other group.
Hyperbrachyskelic Nilotes have longer legs than for example Dinarics because not only are they tall but because the ratio of their sitting height to standing height is quite low. Sometimes the ratio can be extremely low as low as 45.7%.
Even if the tallest Nilotes are not taller than Dinarics or even Dutch people their legs are longer and nobody can deny that.
Negroids have longer legs than Whites but shorther trunk, it is well known
Mongoloid race has shorthest legs on average
I don't know how close they are genetically, but in phenotype they are the most distinct. Definitely we (I'm not a good example, though) look closer to Bulgarians and Hungarians... I've been in Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Only in Eastern Serbia people look like Romanians/Bulgarians and that's because many are of recent Romanian blood (check a 19th century ethnic map) or simply because they are of same Thracian ancestry.
Because SW Slavs are Illyrians Romanians are Dacians and Dacians more closely related to Thracians (Bulgarians)
But it is very close related, both Paleo Balkanite groups
:o
aherne
11-11-2018, 08:05 AM
Because SW Slavs are Illyrians Romanians are Dacians and Dacians more closely related to Thracians (Bulgarians)
But it is very close related, both Paleo Balkanite groups
:o
You definitely look totally foreign here in Romania, like 20-30% of SW Slavs.
Anyway, how would you place Albanians? IMHO, they cluster far more towards Romanians/Bulgarians than SW Slavs.
You definitely look totally foreign here in Romania, like 20-30% of SW Slavs.
Anyway, how would you place Albanians? IMHO, they cluster far more towards Romanians/Bulgarians than SW Slavs.
Yes, they are genetically more similar to East Balkan than West Balkan people excluding Montenegrins. I am still suprised by that fact.
KrashNick
11-11-2018, 03:28 PM
Kosovars got taller after Yugoslavia breakup :D
Map re-uploaded!
https://i.imgur.com/GBD82gd.png
I have watched (sorry for this word) Yugoslavian film, don't remember anything but that someone escaped probably from Goli Otok, anyone know the title ? :p
I've always wondered why dinarids are taller than nordids. :confused:
I have watched (sorry for this word) Yugoslavian film, don't remember anything but that someone escaped probably from Goli Otok, anyone know the title ? :p
Sound familiar, but I also don't know the name! :(
valentinavalley2
10-04-2019, 06:54 PM
What’s the point, this test was done by Slavs themselves, most non Slavs and non Dutch, agree Dutch are the tallest.
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Supercomputer
10-05-2019, 01:47 PM
Map re-uploaded!
https://i.imgur.com/GBD82gd.png
The tallest regions encircled in South Dalmatia also happen to be precisely where Croats are darkest eyed in whole Croatia according to my study
https://i.postimg.cc/28MDV33y/Croatia-Eyes-numbers-barve.png
Supercomputer
10-05-2019, 01:49 PM
Map re-uploaded!
https://i.imgur.com/GBD82gd.png
The tallest regions encircled in South Dalmatia also happen to be precisely where Croats are darkest eyed in whole Croatia according to matura.hr
https://i.postimg.cc/28MDV33y/Croatia-Eyes-numbers-barve.png
vbnetkhio
11-21-2019, 08:19 PM
data for montenegro:
http://www.mjssm.me/clanci/MJSSM_March_2017_Popovic.pdf
is there one for Serbia?
Dalmatinac
11-21-2019, 09:15 PM
One more interesting thing, although it's not related to height. 7/11 first team players who played for croatian national football team in a crucial match against Slovakia and qualifed to the UEFA Euro are Dalmatians. Similar thing happens in other team sports when croatian team participates aswell, such as handball, basketball, water polo etc, where Dalmatians and Herzegovians make up at least 80% of a team. So it's not just about height, but natural talents for sports aswell... someone should investigate this further.
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