Human Body Size and the Laws of Scaling: Physiological, Performance, Growth, Longevity and Ecological RamificationsSeveral books have been published on scaling in biology and its ramifications in the animal kingdom. However, none has specifically examined the multifaceted effects of how changes in human height create disproportionately larger changes in weight, surface area, strength and other physiological parameters. Yet, the impact of these non-linear effects on individual humans as well as our world's environment is enormous. Since increasing human body size has widespread ramifications, this book presents findings on the human species and its ecological niche. its community and how the species interacts with its environment. Thus, a few chapters provide an ecological overview of how increasing human body size relates to human evolution, fitness, health, survival and the environment. This book provides a unique purview of the laws of scaling on human performance, health, longevity and the environment. Numerous examples from various research disciplines are used to illustrate the impact of increasing body size on many aspects of human enterprises, including work output, athletics and intellectual performance. |
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Book Review by Professor Marson: How Big Should We Be? A Herculean task accomplished.
Professor Marson recommends the book to every academic library. Students who are studying natural and social sciences will find the book valuable. Also professional policy makers should read this volume.
Book Review by researcher, Jonathan C.K. Wells, University College London Institute of Child Health
The book challenges conventional biomedical wisdom that body size is a marker of health. He strongly recommends Human Body Size and the Laws of Scaling to academics "across a wide range of disciplines" and suggests that they will find themselves challenging long-held views on growth and health.
Contents
| 1 | |
| 17 | |
Advantages of Taller Human Height | 33 |
Advantages of Shorter Human Height | 47 |
Body Height and its Relation to Chronic Disease and Longevity | 63 |
BMI and Weight Their Relation to Diabetes CVD Cancer and Allcause Mortality | 113 |
The Obesity Epidemic Birthweight Rapid Growth and Superior Nutrition | 147 |
Longlived Mutant Gene Knockout and Transgenic Mice | 191 |
Overview of Research on Giant Transgenic Mice with Emphasis on the Brain and Aging | 235 |
Speculations on the Evolutionary Ecology of Homo sapiens with Special Reference to Body Size Allometry and Survivorship | 261 |
Birthweight Height Brain Size and Intellectual Ability | 301 |
Impact of Body Size on Resources Pollution the Environment and Economics | 319 |
Final Remarks on Human Size Scaling and Ecological Implications | 329 |
Symbols Acronyms and Abbreviations Used in Text | 333 |
Technical Review of Molecular and Physiological Aspects Relevant to Size Free Radicals and Aging | 341 |
| 359 | |
The Evolutionary Ecology of Body Size with Special Reference to Allometry and Survivorship | 213 |
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Common terms and phrases
activity addition adjusted adult American animals associated average Biology birth body mass body weight brain cancer cell changes Chapter childhood cohort compared correlated countries death diabetes diet differences disease dwarf early effects energy et al evaluated evolution example expression extended factors females findings free radical function gene genetic glucose greater groups growth growth hormone heart height higher human impact important increased insulin intake intelligence involved Journal kg/mē larger levels live longevity lower males maturation mechanisms metabolic mice mortality Nature normal nutrition obesity organs period person physical population positive production promote proportional protein rapid rates reduced relatively reported reproduction requires researchers resistance restriction risk Rollo Samaras scaling Sciences selection short shorter smaller species substantially taller various women
Bibliographic information
| Title | Human Body Size and the Laws of Scaling: Physiological, Performance, Growth, Longevity and Ecological Ramifications Nova biomedical |
| Author | Thomas T. Samaras |
| Editors | Thomas T. Samaras, Andrzej Bartke, Christopher David Rollo |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Nova Publishers, 2007 |
| ISBN | 1600214088, 9781600214080 |
| Length | 381 pages |
| Subjects | › Medical / Internal Medicine Self-Help / Aging |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |