What Is the Average Height for a Man?

Average height has increased through mankind's history.

Of all human physical traits, none might be more noticed than height. Human height varies throughout a person's lifetime and has increased through mankind's history. The average height of a human male today varies among races and locations.

Basics

The average height for a man varies by country. The tallest country in the world is the Netherlands, with an average height of 6 feet. In Germany, the average height is 5 feet, 11.3 inches. The United States is not far behind, with an average male height of 5 feet, 9.4 inches, as of 2006.

The consensus is that the average global height of men is 5 feet 7 inches, with the shortest region in the world, Indonesia, averaging 5 feet 2.2 inches.

Race

Race seems to play a role in height averages, particularly in the United States. White Americans average 5 feet 10.4 inches, blacks 5 feet 10.1 inches, and Mexican-Americans 5 feet 7.2 inches.

Determinants

Height, like many physical traits, is mostly determined by heredity. However, it can be stunted by malnutrition, leading those who study height (a field known as auxology) to believe that height is affected by a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. It has been shown that proper nutrition and overall health during certain stages in a person's life can promote growth, while malnutrition and poor health during those same stages can slow it. For example, during the pubertal growth spurt, those with healthy lifestyles are more likely to grow taller than those with unhealthy lifestyles.

Other Factors

Several other determinants have been shown to possibly affect height. The health of a mother over the course of her life may contribute to the height of her children. This ties into the theory that the overall health of generations, not just parents, affects the height of children born into the same families. In other words, it's a snowball effect, with healthier families rearing potentially taller young.

History

Over the centuries, the average human height appears to have been increasing. While information can be unreliable given the period, documents from the 17th and 18th centuries report average heights of around 5 feet 6 inches for males. The reason for the increase in height over the dozens of generations is most likely a direct result of improved health standards.

References

• FAO: Body Weights and Heights by Country
• Western Journal of Medicine: Height, Body size, and Longevity
• Review of Hungarian Studies on Growth and Physique of Children