Christopher.W. Kuzawa and his research team have found that the males who experience rapid growth as babies are taller, have more muscle and also higher testosterone levels as young adults.
They researchers believe that testosterone may hold the key to understanding these long-term effects and that genes alone do not shape our fate.
The study author, Christopher W. Kuzawa said, that the most people are unaware that male infants in the first six months of life produce testosterone at approximately the same level as an adult male.
Mr. Kuzawa, associate professor of anthropology at Northwestern University in the US further said the weight gain during this particular window of early life development is particularly important because testosterone is very high at this age and helps shape the differences between males and females.
The study found as the result of level of nutrition within the first six months of an infant’s male life, men tend to be taller and more muscular than females. Further the environment has a very strong hand in how we turn out. And this study extends that idea to the realm of sex differences and male biology.
He further added that they have learnt a lot in last 20 years, about a process called developmental plasticity. It is about how the body responds early in life to things like nutrition and stress.
They have further learnt that the early experiences can have a permanent effect on how the body develops and this effect can linger on to adulthood.
He further added that there is a lot of evidence that this can influence risk of diseases like heart attack, diabetes and hypertension.
The results of the study is based on a group of 770 Filipino males aged 20-22 who have been followed their entire lives.
Christopher.W. Kuzawa and his research team have found that the males who experience rapid growth as babies are taller, have more muscle and also higher testosterone levels as young adults.
They researchers believe that testosterone may hold the key to understanding these long-term effects and that genes alone do not shape our fate.
The study author, Christopher W. Kuzawa said, that the most people are unaware that male infants in the first six months of life produce testosterone at approximately the same level as an adult male.
Mr. Kuzawa, associate professor of anthropology at Northwestern University in the US further said the weight gain during this particular window of early life development is particularly important because testosterone is very high at this age and helps shape the differences between males and females.
The study found as the result of level of nutrition within the first six months of an infant’s male life, men tend to be taller and more muscular than females. Further the environment has a very strong hand in how we turn out. And this study extends that idea to the realm of sex differences and male biology.
He further added that they have learnt a lot in last 20 years, about a process called developmental plasticity. It is about how the body responds early in life to things like nutrition and stress.
They have further learnt that the early experiences can have a permanent effect on how the body develops and this effect can linger on to adulthood.
He further added that there is a lot of evidence that this can influence risk of diseases like heart attack, diabetes and hypertension.
The results of the study is based on a group of 770 Filipino males aged 20-22 who have been followed their entire lives.
