Prominent historian Boris Mironov ("Rodina", Sept. 2001, pp. 32-36) analyzes data from the army archives of XVIII c. The height of recruit during XVIII c. lowered from 164,7 cm. in 1731 to 159,5 cm. in 1834. The wars, economical exploitation of serfs etc. resulted in the great loss of national health. The phenomena was typical in XVIII c. to Sweden, Britain etc.

That is why when I am in company of Americans I feel myself like a lilliputian, although according to Russian standarts I am a high man (178.) Above all, in Western European countries this tendency of shortanage was stopped long time ago, and in Russia it is still on the march.