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African/American women in the USA are getting shorter according to an American economist. He is linking this fact with obesity among the population. He mentions that obesity in children encourages early onset of puberty, which in itself would encourage early growth limitation. This is the first time this has been recorded outside of war zones and famined areas in the developed world.

Alan Rogol, a professor of clinical paediatrics at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, explained it this way: Obesity causes an apparent acceleration of the onset of puberty in young people. In the case of young women, "the female hormone oestrogen is what leads to closure of the ends of long bones, where you grow from," Rogol said. "If that is done more quickly on average, you are at risk for being . . . smaller as an adult."

"Being 5 foot 5 inches versus 5 foot 6 inches is not a major health issue," Rogol said. "There are many more complications of obesity than losing half an inch of height. . . . I would worry more about cardiovascular and oestrogen-related problems and cancer than I would about adult height."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/05/AR2009010501905.html