There’s little you can change about your height, except when wearing height-enhancing footwear. Despite this, your size can either give you an advantage or cause you to miss out on opportunities, including something as trivial as choosing a life partner.
Tall people are considered more dominant and intelligent, and they are easier to identify and recognize. A man’s height also dramatically affects how attractive they’re perceived; a tall man, for instance, is considered more visually appealing than his shorter companions. But this is usually a mere perception because we see notably short people who are still regarded as intelligent or heroes.
Did you know that there is no standard height considered ‘tall’ throughout the globe? Each region has its threshold when it comes to both height and weight. Today we will cover what height is tall for a man in each area. Keep reading to find out more.
Are You Tall?
Different societies have varying thresholds of what is considered short or tall. To understand this, one has to find the average height per country. For instance, there is such a thing as the “American height” as an American. You may be considered short in your country but very tall in China or India. Anyone above average in height can then be categorized as tall.
Before measuring your height and checking out your country’s average, several incidents can help you know you’re tall. For instance, if you’re constantly getting requests to move your head during live performances, then you may be taller than most people in the area.
Another incident happens when you’re taking a group photo, tall people are almost always moved towards the back. Do people treat you differently? Do they feel intimidated by you? This can be a good sign that you’re taller than average.
Does Height Make Men Attractive?
A man’s height shouldn’t affect his level of attractiveness, but most women prefer someone “tall, dark, and handsome.” There’s a clear height bias especially noticeable in online dating sites, where 6 feet-tall men get swiped on more than their shorter counterparts. Add an athletic body and a friendly face, and everyone will be fangirling.
Taller people are likely to earn more and be more confident, enhancing their attractiveness. The average woman prefers a man who’s 97% taller than other men.
Height and Sports
The first thing people ask when they see a tall man is whether they play basketball. Longer legs are good leverage for most sports, including American football, basketball, and rugby.
You should also consider that although everyone wants a tall man on the field, they can be pretty clumsy and uncoordinated. People with smaller bodies are more nimble, can react faster on the field, and are perfect for fast reaction games such as gymnastics, soccer, skating, skiing, and diving.
What is the Average Male Height?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) used a sample of 47233 people extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Survey of 2018 to determine the average height for American adult men.
The research revealed an average height of 5′ 9″ (1.75 meters) in the United States. This average is close to those from countries such as Canada 5′ 10″ (1.78 meters), Germany 5′ 10.8″ (1.8 meters), and Jamaica 5′ 8.7″ (1.75 meters).
Countries such as Japan 5 ft 7.2 (1.7 meters), China 5 ft 7.6 in (1.72 meters), Nigeria 5 ft 5.3 in (1.66 meters), and the Philippines 5 ft 4.25 in (1.63 meters) have significantly lower averages.
This report by the NCD contains a more comprehensive list of countries and their height averages. The list is a general reference that may change with the sample size and the year when the data is being collected.
These averages are calculated using anthropometry, and scientists look at several factors to determine the correct value. This average can also help health professionals track the risk of disease and correlate the data to determine someone’s lifespan.
Factors That May Affect a Man’s Height
Here are some factors that could affect how tall you are/will become:
Genetics
Your height is determined by multiple gene variants using polygenic inheritance. Because of the many gene determinants, it can be pretty hard to decide how tall someone will be from birth.
Most of the time, children grow to their parents’ height, except for when both parents have significantly contrasting sizes.
Even with the parents’ DNA, children may grow to different heights because of disorders or hormonal deficiencies.
Nutrition
Did your parents ever convince you that eating more vegetables will help you grow taller? There might be some truth to that. Even though vegetables alone won’t magically turn you into Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, investing in a good diet for children and teenagers may help human development, especially their height.
A person’s socioeconomic status can significantly affect how tall a child will become. If a family can’t provide a balanced diet, then the kids may have health challenges, including height issues.
Sleep Patterns
Kids and teens need good sleep to grow. Although a couple of nights with no rest will not adversely affect them, if they constantly experience little to no sleep, they will show signs of stunted growth in the future. This is because the growth hormone is mainly released when one is asleep.
Posture
Poor posture or slouching can stunt your height. The spinal cord is slightly bent and flexible to ensure smooth movement. When you slouch, your spinal cord will adjust its curve to make you feel comfortable, and you will eventually lose some inches.
Changes in Average Height Globally
The average height in Europe and the United States has remained relatively constant over the last two millennia. These stats primarily rely on skeletal remains from the 9th to the 19th centuries.
The previous two years have seen an upward movement of the average height, particularly an increase in the average man’s height by at least four inches. In South Korea, for instance, the average size for men has increased by 9% over the last two millennia.
Five Rock Stars You Didn’t Know Were Over 6 Feet Tall
1. Jim Root
James Root is 6’6 (1.98 meters) tall, and an excellent guitarist and songwriter. He currently plays for Slipknot, a heavy metal band, and was formerly a part of Stone Sour, a rock band. He writes most of Slipknot’s songs, especially the guitar sections.
He prefers using Charvel, Jackson, Maverick, and PRS guitars to create his masterpieces. He is also known for using Guild and Martin acoustic guitars occasionally.
2. Tom Scholz
Tom Scholz is one of the brightest rock musicians to date. The American songwriter is also an MIT-trained engineer, producer, inventor, and philanthropist. He founded his rock band “Boston” and is currently the only surviving member. He was the main guitarist and songwriter for this band. Tom Scholz doubles in progressive, arena, hard and classic rock. He stands at 6’5 (1.96 meters).
3. Russell Allen
Russell Allen is the current frontman for Adrenaline Mob, a heavy metal band. He is an American rock singer and lyricist who’s 6’3 (1.91 meters) tall. Russell was formerly the vocalist for Symphony X, a progressive metal band. He is also the brains behind Atomic Soul in 2005.
Russell Allen is very involved in rock to this date, working on Revel in Time (2022), a studio album by Anthony Lucassen.
4. DC Cooper
DC Cooper is 6’3 (1.91 meters). He is an American singer that was part of the band “Royal Hunt.” He joined the band in 1994, left in 1999, and eventually co-founded Silent Force with guitarist Alex Beyrodt. The musician has had a successful career as a solo artist and as part of bands. He mainly covers genres like hard rock, AOR, and glam metal.
5. Robert Plant
Robert was the lead singer for Led Zeppelin and is 6’1 (1.84 meters). After disbanding Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant began his solo music career and created masterpieces such as Pictures at Eleven and Now and Zen. He also formed Priory of Brion, a folk-rock band in 1999 and Strong Sensation in 2001. He’s now the founder of Saving Grace, an acoustic band.
Conclusion
Your height isn’t something you can control, but how tall you are will most likely influence essential aspects of your life. Different combinations of genes may lead to contrasting heights, especially in children of the same family. In the US, anyone taller than 5’9 is considered above average in height.
You can measure your height effectively at home using a tape measure. Simply grab chalk, stand next to a wall, and have someone mark your height from the top of your head.
Now, being short isn’t the end of the world, and you can still enjoy some benefits, except maybe the ability to be eligible for some sports.