Can a Sedentary Lifestyle Stunt Growth?

  • Context: Medical 
  • Thread starter Thread starter kent davidge
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential impact of a sedentary lifestyle on growth, particularly in relation to height. Participants explore whether prolonged sitting and lack of exercise could contribute to stunted growth or changes in height over time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares personal experience of a sedentary lifestyle and questions if it has affected their height, considering family height averages.
  • Another participant asks if any research has been conducted on the topic prior to posting the question.
  • A participant mentions finding limited information, specifically about mental shrinkage, and expresses uncertainty about the effects of a sedentary lifestyle on spine shrinkage.
  • Another participant discusses the relationship between exercise and bone density, referencing a clinical paper about an older athlete, and notes that while genetics play a significant role in height, environmental factors like diet and exercise also contribute.
  • It is emphasized that no definitive conclusions can be drawn about the original poster's situation based on the available information.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying viewpoints on the relationship between a sedentary lifestyle and growth, with no consensus reached regarding the impact of inactivity on height. Some acknowledge the complexity of the issue, highlighting genetic and environmental factors.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the limitations of available research and the need for further exploration into the specific effects of a sedentary lifestyle on growth and height.

kent davidge
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I spent the last 5 years of my life almost entirely sitting in front of a PC. I'm 1.75 m height while my dad, uncles and of most of young male of my age are at least 1.80 m height.

I was thinking if that is due to my lack of body exercise. Did my behaviour of sitting down all the day contribute for me stop growing up? If I keep this life-style (aside of other health issues), is it likely that I will become even smaller than I'm now?
 
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Have you done any research on this before posting your question? If so, what have you found out?
 
Yes, as I usually do with all questions I have. Did not find answers, thus started the thread.
 
Yeah all I could find was about mental shrinkage but doesn't seem to be any indication that being sedentary causes more spine shrinkage than not. Maybe we'll have a medical expert here who'll know.
 
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"Shrinking" is usually associated with age - osteoporosis and sometimes sarcopenia. Regular exercise strengthens bone - makes bone denser. I read a short clinical paper on bone density in an active professional baseball pitcher who was older than all other MLB pitchers at that time. He was left-handed. There was significant difference in bone density - high in the left humerus, lower in the right. Exercise counteracted some of the effects of ageing on bone density.

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/traits/height
This shows that about 80% of height is genetic, ~20% is environmental - diet and exercise. We cannot conclude anything about your case, nor should we.
You can go from here.
 
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