TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hermanussen, Michael
A1  - Erofeev, Sergei
A1  - Scheffler, Christiane
T1  - The socio-endocrine regulation of human growth
JF  - Acta paediatrica : nurturing the child
N2  - Aim Growth is a multifarious phenomenon that has been studied by nutritionists, economists, paediatric endocrinologists; archaeologists, child psychologists and other experts. Yet, a unifying theory of understanding growth regulation is still lacking. Method Critical review of the literature. Results We summarise evidence linking social competition and its effect on hierarchies in social structures, with the neuronal networks of the ventromedial hypothalamus and body size. The endocrine signalling system regulating growth hormone, Insulin-like-Growth-Factor1 and skeletal growth, is well conserved in the evolution of vertebrata for some 400 million years. The link between size and status permits adaptive plasticity, competitive growth and strategic growth adjustments also in humans. Humans perceive size as a signal of dominance with tallness being favoured and particularly prevalent in the upper social classes. Conclusion Westernised societies are competitive. People are tall, and "open to change." Social values include striving for status and prestige implying socio-economic domination. We consider the transition of political and social values following revolutions and civil wars, as key elements that interact with the evolutionarily conserved neuroendocrine competence for adaptive developmental plasticity, overstimulate the hypothalamic growth regulation and finally lead to the recent historic increases in average height.
KW  - competitive growth
KW  - developmental plasticity
KW  - evolution
KW  - growth
KW  - hormone-releasing hormone
KW  - strategic growth adjustments
Y1  - 2022
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.16504
SN  - 0803-5253
SN  - 1651-2227
PB  - Wiley
CY  - Hoboken
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Hermanussen, Michael
A1  - Scheffler, Christiane
A1  - Pulungan, Aman B.
A1  - Bandyopadhyay, Arup Ratan
A1  - Ghosh, Jyoti Ratan
A1  - Özdemir, Ayşegül
A1  - Koca Özer, Başak
A1  - Musalek, Martin
A1  - Lebedeva, Lidia
A1  - Godina, Elena
A1  - Bogin, Barry
A1  - Tutkuviene, Janina
A1  - Budrytė, Milda
A1  - Gervickaite, Simona
A1  - Limony, Yehuda
A1  - Kirchengast, Sylvia
A1  - Buston, Peter
A1  - Groth, Detlef
A1  - Rösler, Antonia
A1  - Gasparatos, Nikolaos
A1  - Erofeev, Sergei
A1  - Novine, Masiar
A1  - Navazo, Bárbara
A1  - Dahinten, Silvia
A1  - Gomuła, Aleksandra
A1  - Nowak-Szczepańska, Natalia
A1  - Kozieł, Sławomir
T1  - Environment, social behavior, and growth
BT  - Proceedings of the 30th Aschauer Soiree, held at Krobielowice, Poland, June 18th 2022
JF  - Human biology and public health
N2  - Twenty-four scientists met for the annual Auxological conference held at Krobielowice castle, Poland, to discuss the diverse influences of the environment and of social behavior on growth following last year’s focus on growth and public health concerns (Hermanussen et al., 2022b). Growth and final body size exhibit marked plastic responses to ecological conditions. Among the shortest are the pygmoid people of Rampasasa, Flores, Indonesia, who still live under most secluded insular conditions. Genetics and nutrition are usually considered responsible for the poor growth in many parts of this world, but evidence is accumulating on the prominent impact of social embedding on child growth. Secular trends not only in the growth of height, but also in body proportions, accompany the secular changes in the social, economic and political conditions, with major influences on the emotional and educational circumstances under which the children grow up (Bogin, 2021). Aspects of developmental tempo and aspects of sports were discussed, and the impact of migration by the example of women from Bangladesh who grew up in the UK. Child growth was considered in particular from the point of view of strategic adjustments of individual size within the network of its social group. Theoretical considerations on network characteristics were presented and related to the evolutionary conservation of growth regulating hypothalamic neuropeptides that have been shown to link behavior and physical growth in the vertebrate species. New statistical approaches were presented for the evaluation of short term growth measurements that permit monitoring child growth at intervals of a few days and weeks.
KW  - St. Nicolas House Analysis
KW  - child growth
KW  - body proportions
KW  - social network
KW  - public health
KW  - migration
Y1  - 2023
U6  - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2023.1.59
SN  - 2748-9957
VL  - 1
PB  - Universitätsverlag Potsdam
CY  - Potsdam
ER  -