Inter-generational educational advancement and body height

This study investigates the association between body height and inter-generational social advancement through education. Questionnaire data were collected from 2800 students (1023 men and 1777 women) from the universities of Wroclaw, Poland. The questions referred to three generations: the students and their parents and grandparents. Information was collected on the age, body height and weight of the students and their parents, and on the parents' and grandparents' education. The lowest body heights were typically found for individuals from families with the lowest educational levels, whereas the greatest body heights were found for those brought up in families with a high educational status or in families who had upgraded their status. The size of the change in the educational level of parents is only associated with fathers' and female students' body height. Individuals who had advanced from a middle educational level or who came from families with this type of advancement were found to be significantly taller, on average, than those upgrading their educational level from the lowest position. The results show that, for men, educational advancement during the course of their lives or in the earlier generation is more favourable to achieving higher stature, whereas for women, the multi-generational tradition of a high educational status is of greater significance.