Height, marriage and reproductive success in Gambian women

Sear, R.; Allal, N.; Mace, R.

doi:10.1016/s0190-1281(04)23008-6

Height, marriage and reproductive success in Gambian women

Sear, R.; Allal, N.; Mace, R.

Authors

R. Sear

N. Allal

R. Mace

Abstract

We examine the relationship between height and reproductive success (RS) in women from a natural fertility population in the Gambia. We observe the predicted trade-off between adult height and age at first birth: women who are tall in adulthood have later first births than short women do. However, tall women have reproductive advantages during the rest of their reproductive careers, primarily in the lower mortality rates of their children. This ultimately leads to higher fitness for taller women, despite their delayed start to reproduction. The higher RS of tall women appears to be entirely due to the physiological benefits of being tall. There is no evidence that female height is related to patterns of marriage or divorce in this population.

Citation

Sear, R., Allal, N., & Mace, R. (2004). Height, marriage and reproductive success in Gambian women. Research in economic anthropology, 23, 203-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0190-1281%2804%2923008-6

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2004
Deposit Date	Oct 19, 2010
Journal	Research in economic anthropology.
Print ISSN	0190-1281
Publisher	Elsevier
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	23
Pages	203-224
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/s0190-1281%2804%2923008-6