Body Build and Climatic Adaptation

September 14, 2004

The following table depicts the ratio of stature (cm) to weight (kg) for inhabitants of different parts of the world, and shows how it correlates with climate, starting out low (stocky build) in cooler environments and tending to get higher (gracile proportions) as temperatures increase. This works to better conserve heat in the cold, and throw it off in places with hot climates.


Population

CAUCASOID
Finland
United States (Army)
Iceland
France
England
Sicily
Morocco
Scotland
Tunisia
Berbers
Mahratta (India)
Bengal (India)

NEGROID
Yambasa
Kirdi
Baya
Batutsi
Kikuyu
Pygmies
Efe
Bushmen

MONGOLOID
Kazakh (Turkestan)
Eskimo
North China
Korea
Central China
Japan
Sundanese
Annamites
Hong Kong
Stature

 
171.0
173.9
173.6
172.5
166.3
169.1
168.9
170.4
173.4
169.8
163.8
165.8

 
169.0
166.5
163.0
176.0
164.5
142.2
143.8
155.8

 
163.1
161.2
168.0
161.1
163.0
160.9
159.8
158.7
166.2
Weight

 
70.0
70.2
68.1
67.0
64.5
65.0
63.8
61.8
62.3
59.5
55.7
52.7

 
62.0
57.3
53.9
57.0
51.9
39.9
39.8
40.4

 
69.7
62.9
61.0
55.5
54.7
53.0
51.9
51.3
52.2
Ratio

 
2.44
2.48
2.55
2.57
2.58
2.60
2.65
2.76
2.78
2.85
2.94
3.15

 
2.78
2.90
3.02
3.09
3.17
3.56
3.61
3.86

 
2.34
2.56
2.75
2.90
2.98
3.04
3.08
3.09
3.18


Paul T. Baker. "The Biological Adaptation of Man to Hot Deserts". The American Naturalist, 1958.

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