What is the Average Height for an Adult Woman, and Why does it matter?
Height is the measurement of someone or something from head to foot or from base to top. Your height is one of the indicators that healthcare experts use to get a thorough picture of your health. For example, if you’re shorter than average, your health goals will be different than if you’re a little taller.
It’s important to know the average height for women across the country to understand where you fit into the range of sizes.
The average height of all American women aged 20 and over is 5 foot 4 inches tall, according to 2018 research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 1999 through 2016, the researchers looked at weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) trends.
- Knowing the average height and where yours sits is crucial information for both you and your healthcare practitioner. While there was no meaningful change in size for most groups (both men and women) between 1999 and 2016, there were rises in average weight and body mass index (BMI).
- Your BMI is a formula that takes your height and weight to compute your weight per square meter of the body surface, which is expressed in kilos per square meter squared. This method produces a standardized measurement that may be used by all adults, regardless of their heights, weights, or body types.
- The BMI scale is as follows for adults: Under 18: Underweight.
- >25-30: Overweight; >30-40: Obese. 18-25: Normal; >25-30: Overweight; >30-40: Obese.
- Obese people above the age of 40 are considered morbidly obese.
It’s vital to keep in mind that this figure is merely a guess. Each person’s physique is different, with characteristics that can skew the BMI (such as muscle mass) and necessitate its context for making healthy lifestyle choices. Your goal BMI will alter depending on whether you are shorter or taller than the national average.
Still, it’s an excellent place to start for you and your doctor to work out what changes you need to make in your life to improve your general health and how your height plays a role in that.
Males’ average height by region
Due to health and nutrition, the typical height of guys differs by location. In 2017, the typical male in the United States was 69 inches tall, according to a reliable source (5 feet 9 inches). The average height in the United States was 67 inches (5′ 7′′) around a century ago.
Although this represents a gain of more than 2 inches, the rate of growth in the United States has decreased compared to other countries. Males in the United States were the third tallest globally in 1896. They’ve risen to 37th place in terms of average height since then.
This isn’t because males in the United States are getting smaller. Other countries are growing faster than the United States, increasing in average height.
Adults in the United States gain around 2 inches on their parents every 20 years. On the other hand, today’s children will be about the same height as their parents. This is attributable primarily to improved health and nutrition.
Children in the United States have gotten taller due to fewer growth-stunting dietary and health difficulties in recent decades.
Over the last century, people in East Asia have grown significantly taller. Males in Iran have grown faster than men in any other country, with average height increases of 6 inches.
Poor nutrition has hindered development in Sub-Saharan Africa, undoing two decades of height advances. Males born in the Netherlands are the world’s tallest, with average heights of minor under 72 inches (6′ 0′′). Eastern Europeans are also near the top of the list.
Indonesia has the world’s lowest average height of 62.25 inches (5′ 2′′). Malawi is a close second, with a height of 63 inches (5′ 3′′) on average. Yemen, Laos, and Madagascar boast some of the world’s shortest men.
The average male height in the United Kingdom and Australia is roughly 70 inches tall (5′ 10′′). A man’s average height is 69.5 inches (5′ 9′′) in France.
Female height usually tracks male size. Therefore countries with taller males also have taller females.
A variety of factors influences height.
Around 80% of one’s height is inherited. This suggests that hereditary factors account for 80% of height disparities between persons. Genetics may significantly impact height disparities amongst people who live in surroundings with a good diet and little disease exposure.
However, in more difficult circumstances, factors such as food and illness exposure can substantially impact height. Other elements that may have an impact on height are:
Birth weight is determined by various factors, including genetics and nutrition while in the womb. It also has a strong bearing on height.
Premature birth: Premature newborns have a lower birth weight, and prematurity is also a factor that can affect height independently. As a result, premature newborns may develop into shorter adults.
Hormones play a role in growth throughout life, particularly during puberty. Hormonal abnormalities can cause someone to be disproportionately tall or short.
Nutrition: The importance of nutrition in growth cannot be overstated. People who eat a poor diet, particularly those who don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D, or other necessary vitamins and minerals, may not grow as tall as others.
Geographic location: There is a strong link between ethnicity and geographic location, influencing height. Aside from this, where you live influences your exposure to natural sunlight, which is a source of vitamin D. Access to nutritious food, poverty levels, and overall health can all be influenced by a person’s location.
Stunted growth: Stunted growth can lead people to grow shorter than otherwise. Eating disorders, serious illnesses, and medication exposure are examples of these causes.
Medical disorders that cause height inconsistencies
Diabetes, cardiovascular illness, kidney failure, and cancer are all disorders that might influence height. There are a few more situations that might induce height extremes, such as:
Achondroplasia
Achondroplasia is a condition in which the arms and legs are abnormally short. Dwarfism is the most common result of it. Achondroplasia patients are typically 48 inches (4′ 0′′) tall.
Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia’s
Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia (SED) causes a person’s trunk to grow shorter than average. It’s also a genetic illness, although many people aren’t diagnosed until they’re in their twenties. Diastrophic dysplasia (Dystrophic Dysplasia) is a
Diastrophic dysplasia is an uncommon hereditary condition of dwarfism that causes calves and forearms to shorten. Dwarfs might suffer from a range of health problems. For example, SED can result in severe osteoarthritis.
Tumors of the Pituitary Gland
An adenoma, or tumor of the pituitary gland, can cause a child to secrete too much growth hormone. As a result, they grow significantly taller than they would normally.
Gigantism is almost always caused by a pituitary tumor, though rare medical conditions can also cause it. These are some of them:
- Neurofibromatosis Carney complex
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 McCune-Albright syndrome
- Highly tall people are also at risk for a variety of health problems. Their high size can strain the metabolic system and lead to cardiovascular issues, such as an enlarged heart.
What is the Average Height for an Adult Woman, and Why does it matter?
Height is the measurement of someone or something from head to foot or from base to top. Your height is one of the indicators that healthcare experts use to get a thorough picture of your health. For example, if you’re shorter than average, your health goals will be different than if you’re a little taller.
It’s important to know the average height for women across the country to understand where you fit into the range of sizes.
The average height of all American women aged 20 and over is 5 foot 4 inches tall, according to 2018 research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 1999 through 2016, the researchers looked at weight, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) trends.
- Knowing the average height and where yours sits is crucial information for both you and your healthcare practitioner. While there was no meaningful change in size for most groups (both men and women) between 1999 and 2016, there were rises in average weight and body mass index (BMI).
- Your BMI is a formula that takes your height and weight to compute your weight per square meter of the body surface, which is expressed in kilos per square meter squared. This method produces a standardized measurement that may be used by all adults, regardless of their heights, weights, or body types.
- The BMI scale is as follows for adults: Under 18: Underweight.
- >25-30: Overweight; >30-40: Obese. 18-25: Normal; >25-30: Overweight; >30-40: Obese.
- Obese people above the age of 40 are considered morbidly obese.
It’s vital to keep in mind that this figure is merely a guess. Each person’s physique is different, with characteristics that can skew the BMI (such as muscle mass) and necessitate its context for making healthy lifestyle choices. Your goal BMI will alter depending on whether you are shorter or taller than the national average.
Still, it’s an excellent place to start for you and your doctor to work out what changes you need to make in your life to improve your general health and how your height plays a role in that.
Males’ average height by region
Due to health and nutrition, the typical height of guys differs by location. In 2017, the typical male in the United States was 69 inches tall, according to a reliable source (5 feet 9 inches). The average height in the United States was 67 inches (5′ 7′′) around a century ago.
Although this represents a gain of more than 2 inches, the rate of growth in the United States has decreased compared to other countries. Males in the United States were the third tallest globally in 1896. They’ve risen to 37th place in terms of average height since then.
This isn’t because males in the United States are getting smaller. Other countries are growing faster than the United States, increasing in average height.
Adults in the United States gain around 2 inches on their parents every 20 years. On the other hand, today’s children will be about the same height as their parents. This is attributable primarily to improved health and nutrition.
Children in the United States have gotten taller due to fewer growth-stunting dietary and health difficulties in recent decades.
Over the last century, people in East Asia have grown significantly taller. Males in Iran have grown faster than men in any other country, with average height increases of 6 inches.
Poor nutrition has hindered development in Sub-Saharan Africa, undoing two decades of height advances. Males born in the Netherlands are the world’s tallest, with average heights of minor under 72 inches (6′ 0′′). Eastern Europeans are also near the top of the list.
Indonesia has the world’s lowest average height of 62.25 inches (5′ 2′′). Malawi is a close second, with a height of 63 inches (5′ 3′′) on average. Yemen, Laos, and Madagascar boast some of the world’s shortest men.
The average male height in the United Kingdom and Australia is roughly 70 inches tall (5′ 10′′). A man’s average height is 69.5 inches (5′ 9′′) in France.
Female height usually tracks male size. Therefore countries with taller males also have taller females.
A variety of factors influences height.
Around 80% of one’s height is inherited. This suggests that hereditary factors account for 80% of height disparities between persons. Genetics may significantly impact height disparities amongst people who live in surroundings with a good diet and little disease exposure.
However, in more difficult circumstances, factors such as food and illness exposure can substantially impact height. Other elements that may have an impact on height are:
Birth weight is determined by various factors, including genetics and nutrition while in the womb. It also has a strong bearing on height.
Premature birth: Premature newborns have a lower birth weight, and prematurity is also a factor that can affect height independently. As a result, premature newborns may develop into shorter adults.
Hormones play a role in growth throughout life, particularly during puberty. Hormonal abnormalities can cause someone to be disproportionately tall or short.
Nutrition: The importance of nutrition in growth cannot be overstated. People who eat a poor diet, particularly those who don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D, or other necessary vitamins and minerals, may not grow as tall as others.
Geographic location: There is a strong link between ethnicity and geographic location, influencing height. Aside from this, where you live influences your exposure to natural sunlight, which is a source of vitamin D. Access to nutritious food, poverty levels, and overall health can all be influenced by a person’s location.
Stunted growth: Stunted growth can lead people to grow shorter than otherwise. Eating disorders, serious illnesses, and medication exposure are examples of these causes.
Medical disorders that cause height inconsistencies
Diabetes, cardiovascular illness, kidney failure, and cancer are all disorders that might influence height. There are a few more situations that might induce height extremes, such as:
Achondroplasia
Achondroplasia is a condition in which the arms and legs are abnormally short. Dwarfism is the most common result of it. Achondroplasia patients are typically 48 inches (4′ 0′′) tall.
Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia’s
Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia (SED) causes a person’s trunk to grow shorter than average. It’s also a genetic illness, although many people aren’t diagnosed until they’re in their twenties. Diastrophic dysplasia (Dystrophic Dysplasia) is a
Diastrophic dysplasia is an uncommon hereditary condition of dwarfism that causes calves and forearms to shorten. Dwarfs might suffer from a range of health problems. For example, SED can result in severe osteoarthritis.
Tumors of the Pituitary Gland
An adenoma, or tumor of the pituitary gland, can cause a child to secrete too much growth hormone. As a result, they grow significantly taller than they would normally.
Gigantism is almost always caused by a pituitary tumor, though rare medical conditions can also cause it. These are some of them:
- Neurofibromatosis Carney complex
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 McCune-Albright syndrome
- Highly tall people are also at risk for a variety of health problems. Their high size can strain the metabolic system and lead to cardiovascular issues, such as an enlarged heart.
