Frequently Asked Questions on Height and Human Growth

 

1. What are the factors that determine a person’s height?
   Height is determined by a complex combination of genetics and environment. The basic rule of the thumb formula for human height may be summarized as:
   (Genetics + Hormones + Nutrition)  -  Stress
    

2. When do we stop growing taller?
   We have been genetically programmed to stop growing after the completion of puberty. At this point the complex interplay of genes, nutrients, and hormones reaches its climax. Once our genes have orchestrated the growth and development of the body to the point that it can reproduce, the purpose for growth is complete. This usually happens at the average age of 16 years for girls and 18 years for boys.  
    

3. Can I grow taller after puberty?
   There is very little evidence to suggest that people can grow taller after puberty. Humans usually grow faster as infants and toddlers. They also grow significantly as growth spurts hit during puberty.
    

4. What are growth spurts?
   Growth spurts is a term used for a rapid increase in height and weight which typically occurs during puberty. In their teens, kids put on an amazing growth to reach their final adult height. This phenomenal growth starts at the outside of the body and works in. Hands and feet are the first to expand. Needing new shoes is the first sign of experiencing growth spurts. Next, arms and legs grow longer. Finally the spine grows. The very last expansion is a broadening of the chest and shoulders in boys, and a widening of the hips and pelvis in girls.
    

5. What kind of a diet can help increase my height?
   A nutritious diet that includes fruits and vegetables, dairy, cereals, meat, and plenty of water will aid the natural process for enhancing height.
    

6. Does sleep help human growth?
   Getting proper sleep is vital for the growth hormones to perform its function effectively. Not getting enough sleep can lower the amount of growth hormones your body produces.
    

7. What are growth hormones?
   Human growth hormone (HGH) is a substance released by a pea like structure deep inside the brain just behind the eyes. This substance is mostly released during the first couple of hours of sleep and after exercise. Its function is to stimulate growth in human body up until the end of puberty.
    

8. Can the intake of growth hormones (HGH) make me grow taller?
   The intake of growth hormones can work only during the formative years. The excessive intake of hormones through artificial means may cause abnormal and disproportionate growth. The term (HGH) has often been used and abused by many fraudulent marketers to make outrageous claims of stimulating growth. The fact is that the sale of growth hormone treatment is highly regulated and can only be prescribed by specialists. To learn more about growth hormone treatment options please visit the following wikipedia article:
   Wikipedia: Growth Hormone Treatment
    

9. Are there any medications that can help me gain height after puberty?
   There is no medication that can make you enhance height after puberty. There are many products in the market today that claim to increase height of adults, but they are all scams without sufficient scientific evidence.
    

10. Can stretching exercises help me gain height?
    Some stretching exercises can help increase the height enhancing process during puberty. After puberty the stretching exercises can still help correct a person’s posture. You’ll be surprised by how much of “Height” is hidden behind your slouched back. You can, at any age, add an inch or two of height by simply improving your posture. Follow the link below for information on specific height enhancing exercises:
    WalkTall: Height Exercises
     

11. Does proper breathing influence human growth?
    Proper and effective breathing brings sufficient oxygen into your body to stimulate growth. Only deep breathing is effective breathing. Shallow breathing is ineffective and it stunts growth. For more info on deep breathing exercise visit the link below:
    WalkTall: Breathing Exercise
     

12. How can I gain height through surgical procedure?
    Cosmetic leg lengthening procedure can be performed on people to gain a few extra inches of height. This is a very complex, expensive and painful surgery that requires long recovery times. Some medical centers involve the patient with psychological evaluation to ensure they will be able to endure the recovery, with the necessary positive attitude. You can follow the wikipedia article on leg lengthening procedure for more details:
    Wikipedia: Leg Lengthening Treatments
     

13. Where can I get a list of hospitals that perform leg lengthening procedures?
    You can follow the link below for a list of hospitals that perform cosmetic leg lengthening procedures:
    Short Support: Leg Lengthening Hospitals
     

14. What’s the average height of men and women?
    Height is relative to where a person lives. A person of average height in the Netherlands might be considered tall in Japan. You can visit the link below for the average heights of various nationalities:
    WalkTall: Average Height
     

15. Is it true that the present generation is taller than the previous one?
    There seems to be a correlation between economic growth and human height. Asian populations were once thought to be inherently shorter; though it now seems that the average height of China and other Asian countries have improved significantly. The human growth responds to better health care facilities and better nutritional diet.  The following chart will help you understand the increase in average human height during the last 150 years:

    	1850	2000
    USA (White)	5'.8"	5'.10"
    USA (Black)	5'.6"	5'.9"
    Canada	5'.7"	5'.10"
    Sweden	5'.6"	5'.11'
    Germany	5'.6"	5'.10"
    England	5'.5"	5'.9"
    Denmark	5'.5"	6'.0"
    Czech	5'.5"	5'.11"
    Netherlands	5'.5"	6'.0"
    France	5'.4"	5'.9"

16. What should be my ideal weight with regards to my height?
    According to the rule of the thumb the ideal weight of Men can be calculated as under:
    For the first 5 feet the weight should be 106 pounds. And for each additional inch add 6 pounds.
     
    The ideal weight of Women can be calculated as under:
    For the first 5 feet the weight should be 100 pounds. And for each additional inch add 5 pounds.

          For a complete chart please follow the link below:
          WalkTall: Ideal Weight

17. Does body building stunt human growth?
    There is no scientific evidence available to prove that weight training may stunt human growth.  There are people like Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many more who started bodybuilding at an early age and yet still were able to attain an above average height.
     

18. How to find the height of my favorite celebrity?
    You can visit the link below to find the height of many celebrities:
    WalkTall: Celebrities Height Tool
     

19. Fashion ideas that can make me look taller?
    Looking Taller and Slimmer is an art that can be mastered by following a few simple fashion guidelines. The following quiz has been designed to help kick start your fashion sense. Answer the True & False questions for a guided tour of how to dress for a taller look:
    WalkTall Quiz: How to Dress Taller
     

20. What is Heightism?
    Heightism is a type of discrimination based on human height. This refers to unfair treatment because of a person’s short or tall stature. Short people are generally disadvantaged for employment opportunities. For most women, the height of a man is a major factor that makes him sexually attractive towards her. Heightism is also cited as one of the underlying causes of the Rwandan Genocide, in which approximately one million people were killed. It is believed that one of the reasons that political power was conferred to the minority Tutsis by the exiting Belgians was because they were taller and therefore (in the eyes of the Belgians) considered superior and more suited to governance. Short candidates face disadvantage in politics too. Out of the 54 US presidential elections only 13 have been won by the shorter candidate.
     

21. Do astronauts get taller in space?
    Since there is no (or little) gravity in space the bones of the astronauts are less squashed together. The astronauts, therefore, do gain a bit of height due to this fact.
     

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