Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that social networks play an important role in the regulation of adolescent growth and adult height. We further investigated the effect of physical connectedness on height. We considered Switzerland as a geographic network with 169 nodes (district capitals) and 335 edges (connecting roads) and studied effects of connectedness on height in Swiss conscript from 1884-1891, 1908-1910, and 2004- 2009. In 1884-1891, in 1908-1910, and in 2004-2009, 1st, 2nd and 3rd order neighbouring districts significantly correlate in height (p<0.01) indicating that height in a district depends on height of physically connected neighbouring districts. The strength of the correlation depends on the order of connectedness, and declines with increasing distance. The present data suggest that people can be short because their neighbours are short; or tall because their neighbours are tall (community effect on growth). The vision adds a new dimension to the current concept of growth as a mirror of health and economic prosperity.
Hermanussen, Michael