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  • Original Article
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Monte Carlo simulation of body height in a spatial network

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 70, pages 671–678 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 01 June 2016

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Recent evidence suggests clustering of human body height. We want to assess the consequences of connectedness in a spatial network on height clustering in an artificial society.

Subjects/Methods:

We used an agent-based computer modelling technique (Monte Carlo simulation) and compared simulated height in a spatial network with characteristics of the observed geographic height distribution of three historic cohorts of Swiss military conscripts (conscripted in 1884–1891; 1908–1910; and 2004–2009).

Results:

Conscript height shows several characteristic features: (1) height distributions are overdispersed. (2) Conscripts from districts with direct inter-district road connections tend to be similar in height. (3) Clusters of tall and clusters of short stature districts vary over time. Autocorrelations in height between late 19th and early 21st century districts are low. (4) Mean district height depends on the number of connecting roads and on the number of conscripts per district. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we were able to generate these natural characteristics in an artificial society. Already 5% height information from directly connected districts is sufficient to simulate the characteristics of natural height distribution. Very similar observations in regular rectangular networks indicate that the characteristics of Swiss conscript height distributions do not so much result from the particular Swiss geography but rather appear to be general features of spatial networks.

Conclusions:

Spatial connectedness can affect height clustering in an artificial society, similar to that seen in natural cohorts of military conscripts, and strengthen the concept of connectedness being involved in the regulation of human height.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auxologie (Auxological Society).

Author contributions

MH, DG and CA had the original idea for the studies. DG and CA contributed to the design. MH drafted the manuscript, which was revised by all authors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aschauhof,, Altenhof, Germany

    M Hermanussen

  2. Chair of Statistics and Econometrics, Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg Feldkirchenstraße, Bamberg, Germany

    C Aßmann

  3. University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology Bioinformatics Group,, Potsdam-Golm, Germany

    D Groth

Authors
  1. M Hermanussen
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  2. C Aßmann
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  3. D Groth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to D Groth.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Hermanussen, M., Aßmann, C. & Groth, D. Monte Carlo simulation of body height in a spatial network. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 671–678 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.45

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