Secular trend and regional differences in the stature of Italians, 1854-1980.

We present 127 years of data on the physical stature of military conscripts born in Italy during 1854-1980, as well as an analysis of regional variations in height (for birth cohorts born during 1927-1980). The height of young men has increased in all regions of Italy. The secular trend and the regional changes in stature are correlated with economic growth and a general improvement of living conditions. This is suggested by the relationship between height and various socio-economic indicators. A comparison of the 1927 birth cohort with the 1980 birth cohort shows that the mean heights for populations in Italy's southern areas, which were shorter than the national average in 1927, underwent the largest increases. In recent years, mean height has been gradually approaching an upper bound for all regions in Italy, with the exception of some central and southern regions. A multiple regression analysis evaluates the impact of living conditions on the convergence of regional heights.