A Ukrainian is the tallest person in the world, beating a Chinese man who previously held the title, Guinness World Records said Wednesday. Leonid Stadnik, 36, a former veterinarian living in northwestern Ukraine, was measured at 2.57 meters tall (8-foot-5.5) in 2006, AP quoted Guinness World Records spokeswoman Amarilis Espinoza as saying in London. Stadnik is more than 20 centimeters (8 inches) taller than the former titleholder, China's Bao Xishun, who measured 2.36 meters tall (7-foot-9). Stadnik's growth spurt started at age 14 after a brain operation apparently stimulated his pituitary gland. He lives with his mother, Halyna, taking care of the family's house and garden.
