livelivinglived t1_ivyvvrw wrote on November 11, 2022 at 5:15 PM

South Koreans are on average much taller than North Koreans. South Korean height really took off from the 90’s once they started experiencing their economic miracle similar to Japan. Likewise the inclusion of more dairy and meat (South Koreans eat more meat than any other Asian country) in their diet makes them the tallest among other Asian countries.
Japan has had a long history of famine. Post-WWII saw the greatest availability and consistent access to food, and now Japanese people are far taller on average compared to pre-WWII.
I forgot the source, but I read that a study found that European average heights coincide with periods of famine and prosperity.