U.S. no longer tallest country in world

The US had the tallest citizens in the world from the founding fathers up until WWII. Now Europeans are taller.

Does it matter? Economists think so because height correlates with a population's well being.

It's not that being tall actually makes you smarter, richer or healthier. It's that the same things that make you tall — a nutritious diet, good prenatal care and a healthy childhood — also benefit you in those other ways.

That makes height a good indicator for economists who are interested in measuring how well a nation provides for its citizens during their prime growing years. With one simple, easily collected statistic, economists can essentially measure how well a society prepares its children for life.

Lots more here.