Hate being a tall girl or a short guy? Want to know when you’ll hit your growth spurt? Think you don't measure up? Get all the deets on growth in Kidzworld’s special about height, Too Tall, Too Short!
Even though men are generally taller than women, have you noticed a lot of the girls in your class are taller than the guys? That’s because puberty hits earlier for girls. Girls reach their growth peak between 11 and 12, but guys grow fastest between 13 and 14. Even though that’s when your body is growing its fastest, that doesn’t mean it stops once you pass 12 or 14. Girls and guys can keep growing well into their late teens.
Blame The Parents
What affects height? Is it nutrition? Exercise? Sure, food and physical activity are important factors that determine your height, but a lot goes back to heredity. That means if your parents are short, odds are you aren’t going to be the next Shaq. Still, malnutrition can stunt your growth, so make sure you keep chowing down on chard! Sleep is also important. If you don’t snag enough shut eye, you might not reach your full height potential. Your body does its most growing at night, so if you want to add some inches, start counting those sheep.
What Is Heightism?
In America, the average height of an adult man is 5’9” and the average woman is 5’4”. Even so, lots of men and women feel pressure to be taller and face discrimination because of their height. Traditionally, husbands have been taller than their wives, but today there are more and more couples with the man shorter than the woman. Girls are also feeling pressure to be taller. Very few woman can meet the tall standard set by the Amazonian models that walk the runways, but the average woman still feels the need to strap on some heels thanks to the influence of the fashion world.
I’m Too Short/Too Tall!
Do you think you’re too short for the girl you like to notice you? Do you worry your legs aren’t long enough to look like the model in the magazine? Throw away that negative thinking and embrace what you’ve got. If you think you’re too short or too tall it’s time to own your height. Besides, some girls are really into short guys. And a lot of guys love looking up to a tall girl. People come in all shapes and sizes and different people are attracted to different physical attributes. Own your height and project confidence—you can’t go wrong.
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