In the minds of Chinese people, Shandong has long been known as the land of "giants". The superior physique of residents in this coastal province is not a folk myth but is substantiated by specific anthropometric data and historical recruitment preferences. However, while Shandong people still lead in height, their growth rate is now slowing compared to the rest of the country. This presents a biological paradox: previous generations in Shandong already enjoyed good nutrition, and their height potential has been almost fully exploited. As younger generations across the populous nation experience a physical boom, the question arises whether the height of Shandong people will continue to maintain its dominant position, or if they have reached nature's biological limits.

Shandong province is likened to China's food basket, with an abundant supply of agricultural products, seafood, and livestock. This nutritional richness has almost entirely eliminated malnutrition, creating a strong foundation for the physical development of the local population.

According to data from the China Journal of Child Health Care in 2017, 18-year-old male students from Shandong had an average height of 174,5 to nearly 176 cm, while female students ranged from 162,5 to 164 cm. These figures are about 4 cm taller than the national average for young people and 5 to 6 cm taller for the middle-aged generation. Notably, at Qingdao Agricultural University, male students recorded an impressive average height of 176,75 cm.

Students have their height measured on the first day of school at a primary school in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, China. *China Daily*

Conversely, young people in other provinces are experiencing a strong "catch-up" phase, narrowing the gap due to sudden improvements in their daily diets. Currently, a 175 cm tall young man in Shandong is only considered below average, reflecting the strict physique standards in this region.

Scientists explain this phenomenon through the law of regression to the mean. When nutritional intake reaches optimal levels, human height will not increase further but will gradually stabilize or even slightly decrease to balance with genetic code. Actual data shows that Japanese men have plateaued at 172 cm, while men in the US and Southern Europe have stabilized at 176 cm and 177 cm, respectively. Genetics act as the "ceiling", and nutrition is merely a tool to help people approach that limit.

This difference is evident when comparing Dinka tribal men in South Sudan, who can reach 180 cm despite hardships, with Filipinos, who rarely exceed 165 cm even with adequate diets.

In China, the tallest individuals are primarily concentrated in the Jiaodong Peninsula and the Jiaoliao region. Historically, the robust physique of Weihaiwei people was once the gold standard for Hong Kong police recruitment. However, data over the past decade shows that the height of men in the Jiaoliao region has stagnated at 176 to 177 cm. This is a clear signal that they have approached the maximum biological limit for their ethnicity.

Experts predict a stable height differentiation across China in the near future. Accordingly, men in coastal Shandong and southern Liaoning will maintain an average of 178 cm, the lower Yangtze River region will reach 175 cm, and southern and southwestern areas will stop at 173 cm. China's physical revolution, despite progressing at a rapid pace over a few decades compared to a century in Europe and the US, will ultimately be regulated by genes. While Shandong people's tall stature may still lead, the gap with the rest of the population will no longer be a vast chasm once all individuals have fully utilized their "biological feast", according to HK01.

By Binh Minh (Source: HK01)