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Real Giants: The World's Tallest People

This 'handicap' seems to have popped up on the radar rather suddenly:

Tall people 'more likely to develop cancer'
By James Gallagher, Health reporter, BBC News

Being tall has been linked to a greater risk of 10 common cancers by University of Oxford researchers.
For every four inches (10cm) above five feet a person was, the researchers said they had a 16% increased cancer risk.
The study of more than one million women, published in The Lancet Oncology, suggested chemicals that control growth might also affect tumours.

Cancer Research UK said tall people should not be alarmed by the findings.
The study followed 1.3 million middle-aged women in the UK between 1996 and 2001.
It linked 10 cancers to height - colon, rectal, malignant melanoma, breast, endometrial (uterus), ovarian, kidney, lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukaemia.
Those in the tallest group, over 5ft 9in, were 37% more likely to have developed a tumour than those in the shortest group, under 5ft.

Although the study looked only at women, the researchers said the height link was also present in men.
They combined ten other research studies which showed a similar link in men.

Dr Jane Green, lead researcher and from the University of Oxford, told the BBC: "Obviously height itself cannot affect cancer, but it may be a marker for something else."

Scientists believe that as there is a link across many cancers there "may be a basic common mechanism".
They think, but have not proved, that growth hormones - such as insulin-like growth factors - may be the explanation.
Higher levels of growth factors could do two things. They could result in more cells - taller people are made of more stuff so there are more cells which could mutate and become tumours. Alternatively, they could increase the rate of cell division and turnover, increasing the risk of cancer.
But as Dr Green admitted: "The point is we don't know."

Cancer Research UK's Sara Hiom said: "Tall people need not be alarmed by these results. Most people are not a lot taller, or shorter, than average, and their height will only have a small effect on their individual cancer risk."

Dr Caitlin Palframan, policy manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "The big question is why this connection exists. If we can unravel why height affects the risk of cancer it will lead us closer to understanding how some cancers develop."

The researchers suggested that height could also have contributed to increasing cancer incidence. In Europe, average height is thought to have increased by around 1cm every decade during the 20th Century.
They argued that the height increase in that time could have resulted in a 10-15% more cancers than if heights had remained the same.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14220382
 
Women's height linked to ovarian cancer
By Helen Briggs, BBC News

Taller women have a slightly higher risk of ovarian cancer, according to a review of studies.
Obesity is also a risk factor among women who have never taken HRT, say international researchers.
Previous studies have suggested a link, but there has been conflicting evidence.

The latest research, published in the journal PLoS Medicine, analysed all worldwide data on the topic.
It looked at 47 epidemiological studies in 14 countries, including about 25,000 women with ovarian cancer and more than 80,000 women without ovarian cancer.

Lead researcher Prof Valerie Beral of the Oxford University Epidemiology Unit told the BBC: "By bringing together the worldwide evidence, it became clear that height is a risk factor."

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17601143
 
Experts study why Dutch people are so tall

The Dutch are, on average, the world's tallest people, but it hasn't always been that way.
In fact, 150 years ago they were almost three inches (7.5cm) shorter than the average American.
So what happened? Scientists believe a number of factors are responsible, such as genetics, better diet and medical care.

But now there's another theory. Research from the London School of Tropical Medicine suggests that natural selection may also have something to do with it.
Jane O'Brien went to the Netherlands to find out more.

Video Edited by Bill McKenna; Filmed by David Botti

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33160072
 
Recently there was an article about how the Dutch have become the tallest nation on Earth, apparently because of their consumption of milk, cheese and other dairy products. But there was no suggestion that this could have drawbacks. But now a study from Sweden looks at the risks of being tall:

Study supports cancer link with height

A Swedish study of five million people appears to support the theory that height and cancer risk are linked.
The study found that taller people had a higher risk of breast cancer and skin cancer, among other cancers.
Its results found that for every extra 10cm (4in) of height, when fully grown, the risk of developing cancer increased by 18% in women and 11% in men.
But experts said the study did not take into account many risk factors and that tall people should not be worried.

Previous studies have shown a link, although why it exists is not known.
To reduce risk of cancer, the most important things to do are:

give up smoking
cut down on alcohol
adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle

In a preliminary report of the study, presented at the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology conference, researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm describe how they tracked a large group of Swedish adults for more than 50 years.
Taller women had a 20% greater risk of developing breast cancer, they said, while taller men and women increased their risk of skin cancer (or melanoma) by 30%.

This study's early findings are very similar in size to those found by other studies.

Dr Emelie Benyi, who led the study, said the results could help to identify risk factors that could lead to the development of treatments.
But she added: "As the cause of cancer is multi-factorial, it is difficult to predict what impact our results have on cancer risk at the individual level."

Although it is clear that adult height is not a cause of cancer, it is thought to be a marker for other factors related to childhood growth.
Scientists say taller people have more growth factors, which could encourage cancer development, they have more cells in their body because of their size, which increases the risk of one of them turning cancerous, and a higher food intake, which also makes them more at risk of cancer.

Prof Dorothy Bennett, head of the molecular cell sciences research centre, St George's, University of London, said it was "very plausible" that the risk of cancer in a person should be related to the number of cells in their body
"A cancer arises by mutations from a single normal cell. Bigger people have more cells (not bigger cells)," she said.
"So melanoma risk, for example, might be expected to increase with surface area (amount of skin), which is related to the square of height."

etc...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34414446

 
give up smoking
cut down on alcohol
adopt a healthy diet and lifestyle

I'm tall but I follow that regime.
 
Hang on, I was always told smoking stunts your growth. o_O
 
CarlosTheDJ said:
Well, it's my birthday tomorrow so it won't changing anytime soon!
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Happy Birthday!

upload_2015-10-3_0-38-24.png
 
rynner2 said:
Women's height linked to ovarian cancer
By Helen Briggs, BBC News

Taller women have a slightly higher risk of ovarian cancer, according to a review of studies.
Obesity is also a risk factor among women who have never taken HRT, say international researchers.
Previous studies have suggested a link, but there has been conflicting evidence.

The latest research, published in the journal PLoS Medicine, analysed all worldwide data on the topic.
It looked at 47 epidemiological studies in 14 countries, including about 25,000 women with ovarian cancer and more than 80,000 women without ovarian cancer.

Lead researcher Prof Valerie Beral of the Oxford University Epidemiology Unit told the BBC: "By bringing together the worldwide evidence, it became clear that height is a risk factor."

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17601143
Click to expand...

Sadly not always the case, I just found out last week a good friend has been diagnosed with this and she is tiny :(

I don't think studies like this are really very helpful, maybe for the medical profession, but given that it is hardly a conclusive link it doesn't serve much purpose reporting it to the wider public.
 
You make a point; but keep in mind Robert Wadlow was 8ft 11 inches when he died. It was also determined that he had not yet stopped growing. His death was due to infection and he was only in his 20's. There are, on record, several accounts of giants approaching the ten foot mark. Two of these were Chinese and well documented. There are a couple of very good books on the subject. I read one of them; the author was not prone to exaggeration or grand standing. The book Forbidden Archeology by Thompson lists ancient giant records. It is scientific and as much as is possible it is verified. A fascinating book and a very large book, it is difficult to put down once you start it.
 
Brig said:
You make a point; but keep in mind Robert Wadlow was 8ft 11 inches when he died. It was also determined that he had not yet stopped growing. His death was due to infection and he was only in his 20's. There are, on record, several accounts of giants approaching the ten foot mark. Two of these were Chinese and well documented. There are a couple of very good books on the subject. I read one of them; the author was not prone to exaggeration or grand standing. The book Forbidden Archeology by Thompson lists ancient giant records. It is scientific and as much as is possible it is verified. A fascinating book and a very large book, it is difficult to put down once you start it.
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If you look up the tallest people on wikipedia, most die at a relatively young age (Mr. Wadlow's death being due to infection, but in general their death is early) and have significant problems due to their conditions. Many, including Mr. Wadlow, could/can not walk unaided. Their general health issues would seem to make it unlikely that a group composed of eight foot plus tall humans could survive could survive in pre-industrial times.

Would abnormally tall individuals have been treated abnormally? That certainly seems likely given the treatment of these people now. I suppose one could argue that such treatment might have extended to after death, with the individuals being more likely to have received notable burials and thus being more likely for their skeletons to be found.

So could there have been a nine foot tall individual? I'd accept that as a possibility. But a group of them is something I'd doubt.
 
Looking up the list of tallest people, I came across Mr. Adam Rainer, the only person in recorded history to have been both a dwarf and a giant.

thechirurgeonsapprentice.com/2015/01/20/worlds-littlest-giant-the-curious-case-of-adam-rainer/
Link is dead. The cited webpage can still be accessed via the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/2015020...ttlest-giant-the-curious-case-of-adam-rainer/

"Adam Rainer was born in Graz, Austria to average-sized parents in 1899. When WW1 broke out, Rainer tried to enlist in the army, but at 4’6.3’’ inches tall, he was deemed too short and weak....

Rainer (pictured right) suddenly began growing at an alarming pace. Over the next decade, he grew from just under 4’10’’ to a shocking 7’1’’. During this period, Rainer also began developing a severe spinal curvature..."
 
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Generally speaking the extremely tall people of today are caused by some genetic malfunction. This has not necessarily always been the case. I pointed out Wadlow and others to make the point that physically humans are capable of extreme tallness. This does not preclude the possibility of extreme height in other cases. For other situations that bring about extreme tallness I'd suggest going to Amazon books and look into the subject. I suggested Forbidden Archeology but it covers a whole lot more than giants in our past. I read a very good one, but I cannot remember the title or author. A problem that comes with age, I fear. I'll go to Amazon and see what I can find and get back to you.
 
Brig said:
Generally speaking the extremely tall people of today are caused by some genetic malfunction.
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Angus MacAskill was not a genetic malfunction and he was a giant in every sense of the word. Also with a 80 inch non obese chest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_MacAskill

Look at some of the athlete's such as Wilt Chamberlin for example. No wonder he scored over 100 points in a game.
 
If I remember my old National Geographics correctly. I remember an article about a tribe of Africans where-in the average height of the male members was over 7 ft. with a few very close to 8 ft. I have no idea as to the year or volume. Yes, Jim I remember an artcle about the Scotsman. Here again is proof the tallness does not have to equate with physical problems. There were a couple (married) in Ohio, in the late 1800s. Both were over 8 ft tall. They had their house especially built to fit their size. Again I cannot tell you where I read the article.
 
Brig said:
If I remember my old National Geographics correctly. I remember an article about a tribe of Africans where-in the average height of the male members was over 7 ft. with a few very close to 8 ft. I have no idea as to the year or volume. Yes, Jim I remember an artcle about the Scotsman. Here again is proof the tallness does not have to equate with physical problems. There were a couple (married) in Ohio, in the late 1800s. Both were over 8 ft tall. They had their house especially built to fit their size. Again I cannot tell you where I read the article.
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The Ohio couple have escaped the notice of whomever keeps the rather extensive wikipedia article on tallest people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_people
 
oldrover said:
The tallest 'supposedly' non pathological giant Angus Macaskill, died suddenly at the age of only 38. Even today, people who are unusually tall don't tend to be very long lived.
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He died of some kind of fever, a death not related to his height.
 
Brain fever. That could mean anything. I'm not saying that it was his height. And of course back in the 1860s there'd have been plenty of things going round, and not too much in the way of effective treatment for a lot of them.

But to me it seems worth noting that like most abnormally tall people, he died very young. Plus, how can we be sure that he wasn't a pathological giant?
 
oldrover said:
But to me it seems worth noting that like most abnormally tall people, he died very young. Plus, how can we be sure that he wasn't a pathological giant?
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Yes, your point still is valid - most giants die too young.
Has anybody examined MacAskill's skeleton? Maybe they'd find out what caused his extreme height.
 
I remember when I was a teenager (in the 70s), walking from my school in Windsor, myself and a friend encountered the tallest man we'd ever seen. He was walking towards us very slowly, using two walking sticks for support.
I'd say he was about 7 feet tall and he looked like he was in his sixties. He wasn't stooped over and didn't appear to have a back problem, so I'm guessing he needed the sticks because of joint problems.
His age (if I assessed it correctly) would make him exceptional for a giant.
 
That's interesting. To take it further, I've long noticed that just 'usually' tall old men seem to be a bit thin on the ground.
 
Dutch men confirmed as world's tallest
By Jonathan Amos BBC Science Correspondent, Manchester
26 July 2016

When it comes to height, Dutch men and Latvian women tower over all other nationalities, a new study confirms.
The average Dutchman is now 183cm (6ft) tall, while the average Latvian woman reaches 170cm (5ft 7in).

The research, published in the journal eLife, has tracked growth trends in 187 countries since 1914.

It finds Iranian men and South Korean women have had the biggest spurts, increasing their height by an average of more than 16cm (6in) and 20cm (8in).

In the UK, the sexes have gone up virtually in parallel by about 11cm (4in). "Mr Average" in Britain is now 178cm (5ft 10in) tall; Ms Average stands at 164cm (5ft 5in).

This contrasts for example with men and women in the US, where the height of the nation's people started to plateau in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the century, they have seen increases of just 6cm and 5cm (a couple of inches), respectively.
Indeed, Americans have tumbled down the rankings. Back in 1914, they had the third tallest men and fourth tallest women on the planet. Today they are in 37th and 42nd place.

The height charts are now utterly dominated by European countries, but the data would suggest that growth trends in general in the West have largely levelled out.

The smallest men on the planet are to be found in East Timor (160cm; 5ft 3in).
The world's smallest women are in Guatemala, a status they also held back in 1914. According to the survey data, a century ago the average Guatemalan 18-year-old female was 140cm (4ft 7in). Today she has still not quite reached 150cm (4ft 11in).

etc...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36888541

When most of your country lies below sea level, it's probably good to be tall in case the sea comes back in! :p
 
They've hired some new people at work. A few of them are 2 meters plus. I guess they should have taken up smoking.
 
Mid Ulster identified as 'giant hotspot' by scientists
By Julian Fowler BBC News NI

An area in Northern Ireland has been identified as a "giant hotspot" by scientists studying a gene defect which causes people to grow abnormally tall.
One in 150 people in Mid-Ulster were found to carry the gene, compared to one in 1,000 in Belfast and one in 2,000 in the rest of the UK.

More than three-quarters of carriers will never develop health issues, but it can cause long-term problems and be potentially life-threatening for those that do.
Scientists hope the work will help find those at risk of passing on the gene.

The gene - called AIP, but known as the "giant gene" - can result in too much growth hormone, which is produced and released by the pituitary gland, a pea-sized gland just below the brain.
The excessive production occurs as the result of a non-cancerous tumour in the gland.

The condition, called acromegaly or gigantism, can be successfully treated with brain surgery and medication.

A screening programme for the gene was undertaken in Magherafelt, Cookstown and Dungannon in 2013.
The genetic mutation has been found in more than 400 people, and at least 15 families in Northern Ireland have been identified as carriers.

Dr Steven Hunter, an endocrinologist at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, said only 20% of carriers will develop symptoms.
"It can present with tall stature and people growing excessively tall at a young age," he told the BBC.

"It can also cause problems with growth of the hands and feet in older people and it's associated with problems related to headache because of the growing tumour in the brain and affects eyesight as well.
"We've also seen people with other hormonal problems and infertility.

"It can be life-threatening, but in many cases it's disfiguring."
There are effective treatments and the emphasis was on early diagnosis, he said.

The gene caused Charles Byrne, born in 1761 near Cookstown and known as the "Irish giant", to grow more than 7ft 6in (2.3m) tall.

He became an object of curiosity after travelling to London to seek his fortune before his death in 1783.

_91769920_brendan_bbc.jpg

Image caption Mr Holland with the skeleton of his ancestor Charles Byrne

Geneticists have identified that Mr Byrne and the living carriers of the gene shared a common ancestor who lived about 2,500 years ago.
Brendan Holland, from Dungannon, is 6ft 9in (2.1m) and a distant relative of Byrne.
"It may not please the romantic in some people, but those who are afflicted with this condition probably won't object to the end of this condition," he said.
"I've been lucky, I've actually been cured and had the best treatment available.
"My mother passed the gene to me and she never knew that and many people still to this day are passing the gene on without knowing it."

Belfast clinical genetics consultant Prof Patrick Morrison said most people have the wrong perception of giants, believing they are "very fit and athletic and would make great basketball players".
"It's a miserable life for a giant, actually," he said.

"If you're nearly 7ft (2.1m) in height your heart doesn't work so well, you can have heart failure. Your pituitary gland can cause vision problems, you're actually quite weak.
"Maybe by your mid to late 20s you've a lot of problems and a lot of these giants will die in their late 20s if not treated."

The research into the population screening in Mid Ulster was led by Marta Korbonits, professor of endocrinology at Barts and the London School of Medicine Queen Mary.
Prof Korbonits discovered the genetic link for the mutation of the Irish giant gene.

The scientists hope that their work will help to identify those at risk of passing on the gene to future generations and will lead to earlier diagnosis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37622249
 
That giant skeleton has a proportionally small head.
 
World's Tallest Men Trace Back to Paleolithic Mammoth Hunters

Men from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Netherlands, Croatia, and Montenegro are, on average, the tallest in the world, according to new research that helps to explain why such individuals often grow to six feet and more in height.

Their stature appears to be at least partly a genetic legacy of the Upper Paleolithic Gravettian culture, says the study, which is published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The Upper Paleolithic broadly dates to between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago.

"The Gravettian is the most important prehistoric culture of the Upper Paleolithic Europe and is sometimes called ‘the culture of mammoth hunters,'" lead author Pavel Grasgruber of Masaryk University told Seeker. "I suspect that this big game specialization associated with a surplus of high-quality proteins and low population density created environmental conditions leading to the selection of exceptionally tall males."

Remains of Gravettian men suggest that they stood between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 2 inches on average, which was an extraordinary size for the time. In contrast, men among the ancient Maya who lived several thousand years later were 5 feet 2 inches tall on average. Mayan women were about 4 feet tall on average. ...
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FULL STORY: http://www.livescience.com/58671-tallest-men-trace-to-paleolithic-mammoth-hunters.html
 
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