when was the last time you applied for health insurance or life insurance? they asked you how tall you are and how much you weigh. do you know why? bada boom.

french scientist named Quetelet developed the metric we now call Body Mass Index based on the study of body shape and size. think about it, the design of every public space, mass transportation conveyance etc etc really had rely on anthropometric data.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropometric_history