Life expectancy depends on stature
British scientists from the Cambridge University headed by Andrea Migliano have conducted research which has shown, that small stature of pygmies (61 inches) was not the result of adaptation to life in woods, but the reason of very high death rate.
Until recently scientists believed that short height of pygmies helped them not only to adapt to life in jungles, but also promoted survival in starving time, as small sizes of a body demanded less meal.
But as it appeared the true reason of short height of pygmies and some other dwarf tribes - very high death rate.
In the first years of life physical development of pygmies’ children is approximately habitual to ours, but by 12 years the increase in height stops, that leads to an early puberty.
According to researchers, it is an evolutionary advantage of stop of growth. Life expectancy of representatives of these peoples is so small, that later puberty would lead to extinction of tribes.