Increasing gap in human height between rich and poor countries associated to their different intakes of N and P

摘要

We analyzed mean height of men born in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s in 80 countries. Both height and the change in height during the last decades were correlated with N and P intake, as well as the N:P intake ratio. Rich countries had higher per capita N and P intake than poor countries (on average 19.5?±?0.3 versus 9.66?±?0.18?kg?N y?1 and 2.17?±?0.04 versus 1.35?±?0.02?kg?P y?1), and also larger increases in per capita N intake (12.1?±?2.0% vs. 7.0?±?2.1%) and P intake (7.6?±?1.0% vs 6.01?±?0.7%), during the period 1961–2009. The increasing gap in height trends between rich and poor countries is associated with an increasing gap in nutrition, so a more varied diet with higher N, P, and N:P intake is a key factor to improve food intake quality in poor countries and thus shorten the gap with rich countries. More N and P are needed with the consequent requirements for a better management of the socioeconomic and environmental associated problems.