Why were Vikings nearly as tall a the average person today? Could it be diet?

Question

I have read that the Vikings were about 5 feet 9 inches (men) and women were around 5 feet 2 to 5 feet 5.

Answer 1

Great question! I could be diet, but also could be genetic. The average adult living in Sweden now is 5'10" (men), 5' 6" (women), among the tallest in the world.

Answer 2

Yes, diet. There are skeletons of Viking women that would have been over six feet tall. It's probably the amount of protien consumed while going through the adolescent growth spurt. The Dutch are tall because of a nation-wide nutrition campaign.

It's not the heat of the environment because Inuit are not tall and there are very tall people in parts of equitorial Africa. Conservation of heat has to do with the relationship of volume to surface area not size.

Answer 3

It is a combination of diet and enviroment. The harsh enviroment during the period just before the mass migration of germanic tribes into the declining roman empire caused germanic or nordic people to be taller. The reason they were so much taller than roman or greek people is because the warm climate in the mediteranean area meant that people had to keep their bodies cooler. And a smaller body will cool off faster than a larger body. Also when all you eat is Protein(Fish, mutton, venison ect.) and limited Carbs(grain was in short supply in the harsh climate) and when the harsh climate forces you to continually work hard and fight for every little resource then your body is going to be alot taller than those who do not.

Answer 4

It's a combination of evolution and diet. Their stature was selected because they're large, bulky ("roundish") frames are best adapted to cold environments. Cold adaptation expressed differently in different parts of the world, but the consistency is that the body frame is fairly round, which is the best shape to conserve heat. I say that diet also plays a role, because presumably undernourished individuals would be below average height and weight.

Answer 5

GOOD GENES.
Characteristics usually are selected for in terms of those that allow for survival. Better nutrition and survival of the more powerful tall is likely the reason.

Answer 6

huh?...diet vikings? like diet coke?

yeah man, definitely.

Answer 7

They bred with celts and celts were tall too. So I dunno maybe thats why they were all tall or they have good genes

Answer 8

Your right, I'm 5'4.