Have you ever wondered how tall your child will be when he or she grows up? Many parents are curious as it is natural to want to know. It’s also a little fun to try and predict how tall a child might be. It is important to remember, though, that height is determined by many factors such as genetics, nutrition, health and the environment. All of these factors play a role in determining the eventual height of the child.
If you are curious, there are ways to make a rough estimate. The height of a child’s biological parents can be a good indicator of how tall a child will be, as genetics play an 80% role[1] in determining height.
Two Methods to Predict a Child’s Height
Mid Parental Height
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine[2], parents may wish to try the following formula for predicting how tall their child will be:
1. Calculate Mid-Parental Height:
Add the heights of both parents together (in inches or centimetres).
Divide the total by two.
2. Adjust for Sex:
For boys: Add 5 inches (or 13 centimetres) to the mid-parental height.
For girls: Subtract 5 inches (or 13 centimetres) from the mid-parental height.
Example:
Father's height: 5ft 10 inches (70 inches)
Mother's height: 5 feet 4 inches (64 inches)
Mid-parental height: (70 + 64) = 134 inches
Divide 134 by 2 = 67 inches
Predicted adult height (boy): 67 + 5 = 72 inches (6 feet)
Predicted adult height (girl): 67 ̶ 5 = 62 inches (5 feet 2 inches)
Important Considerations:
This is a rough estimate.
The actual adult height can vary by a few inches (or centimetres) either way. Another method says to only add or subtract 2 ½ inches instead of 5.
Doubling a Toddler’s Height at Age Two
According to the Mayo Clinic[3], doubling a child’s height at age two can also provide a rough estimate of how tall the child can be in adulthood. Boys are usually a little taller than the resultant number and girls a little shorter. Age two is chosen because most children would have reached the growth chart percentile they will stay on as they grow. After age two, most healthy children will grow at about 2.1 inches (or 5.5 centimetres) per year until they reach puberty. During puberty, they will have a growth spurt where they will shoot up in height and shortly after, that growth will end.
Important Considerations:
This simple method has been around for a long time but to date, no research exists to demonstrate its accuracy.
Factors that Affect Growth and Height
Apart from genetics, other external factors may impact a child’s growth potential. Nutrition and overall health during childhood and adolescence can significantly affect human growth and height. Also, keep in mind the role of environmental factors and how it affects the individual child. Every child is unique and will grow at his or her own pace. That is why siblings with the same parents can vary in height with one child being taller or shorter when compared with the rest of the family. Even twins, who share the same DNA can vary in height with one twin being sightly taller or shorter than the other.
Illness, infections or premature birth can also play a part in height and growth and may prevent a child from reaching their full potential height. Other factors such as gender, sleep and exercise during the developmental years all factor into height and growth.
Underlying medical conditions can also affect growth. These medical conditions include hormonal imbalances such as growth hormone deficiency or hypothyroidism, genetic disorders such as Turner syndrome, an issue with the skeleton which prevents proper growth or chronic diseases like kidney or heart disease or severe gut or chest conditions, and of course, malnutrition.
Malnutrition[4], especially during childhood, significantly impacts growth and height, leading to stunting (low height for age) and wasting (low weight for height), which can have long term consequences on physical and cognitive development.
If your child is otherwise healthy but you are worried about your child’s growth and height, do consult a paediatrician. Your doctor will use a growth chart to find out if your child is growing well and guess your child’s adult height. If you are agreeable, he may also take an X-ray of the child’s hand and wrist to assess bone age, which can provide a more precise estimate of how much growth is left. This method is considered to be more accurate than the mid parental height prediction and the doubling of a toddler’s height at two years old. However, it’s a method that requires a medical procedure.
Growth Spurts Explained
Growth spurts are periods of rapid physical growth, particularly in height and weight, that occur during infancy, childhood, and puberty. They are a natural part of human development, often marked by increased appetite and bone and muscle growth.
The fastest rate of growth occurs before birth when a foetus will grow to a length of around 50 centimetres or 19.7 inches[5] over a period of nine months.
During childhood, both males and female children grow at similar rates of around 5.5 centimetres (2.1 inches) each year up to the age of about eight years.
The next growth spurt will occur during puberty. Called the pubertal growth spurt, male growth will increase more than female growth. On average, adult males are 14 centimetres (5.5 inches) taller than adult females.
When will Boys and Girls Stop Growing?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 to 16. They will have a growth spurt in the year they start their first menstrual period. Girls typically get their first period, also known as menarche, between the ages of 10 and 15 with the average being around 12 though this can vary from child to child. Their feet and hands will likely increase in size first, followed by the rest of the body. After their first menstrual period, girls typically go through their fastest growth spurt, often gaining height by as much as 7 centimetres (2.7 inches) a year. As the growth plates in the bones begin to close, girls are known to still be able to gain a few centimetres in height at this time. Sometimes height gain can continue until around age 21[6].
Boys will usually have a growth spurt in puberty one to two years after most females. This means that boys will be shorter than girls of a similar age for one to two years. Boys typically enter puberty between the ages of nine and 14 although this can vary. The peak time of growth is before sperm develops where boys will grow about 9 centimetres (3.5 inches) a year. Boys also usually have longer growth spurts than girls with the fastest rate of growth at one to two years after puberty has started. Generally speaking, puberty lasts for two to five years from the start of puberty. Although there is no set age as to when boys will stop gaining height, most boys will stop growing at around the age of 18 while some may continue to grow into their early 20s.
How to Grow Taller
People cannot control the genes that influence their height. This because genetics determines these factors and they cannot change it. Tall parents are more likely to produce tall children and vice versa.
However, there are some factors that can increase or reduce their growth during childhood and puberty. Growing children and teenagers can take some steps to maximise their adult height by doing the following:
Ensuring good nutrition
Nutrition[7] plays a very important role in growth. Children without good nutrition may not be as tall as children with adequate nutrition. It is recommended that children and young people eat a varied, balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. This will ensure they get all the vitamins and minerals they need to thrive.
Protein and calcium are especially important for bone health and growth.
Some protein-rich foods include:
Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds, tofu as well as vegetables high in protein such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus.
Some calcium-rich foods include:
Yoghurt, milk, cheese, broccoli, kale, soybeans, oranges, sardines and salmon.
Ensuring good nutrition during pregnancy is also important for the bone health and growth of the foetus.
Getting enough sleep
Apart from nutrition, sleep[8] is very important for the growth and development of children. Sleep promotes growth and development in children and teenagers. During deep sleep, the body releases hormones it needs to grow. It is true that children actually grow overnight. Getting enough sleep may therefore allow optimal growth.
How much sleep do kids need[9]:
How much sleep kids need vary by age. Generally speaking, the older the child, the less sleep he or she needs.
Toddlers (one to two years) need 11 to 14 hours of sleep per day, including naps
Preschoolers (three to five years) need 10 to 13 hours of sleep per day, including naps
School-age children (six to 12 years) need nine to 12 hours of sleep per night
Teenagers (13 to 18 years) need eight to 10 hours of sleep per night
Not getting enough sleep over a long period of time may interfere with healthy growth, cause other health problems and impair a child’s ability to focus, learn and participate in life.
Getting regular exercise
Regular exercise is important for proper physical development including height growth as it supports the health of bones and muscle tissue. Playing outside or playing sports can make bones healthier, denser and stronger while promoting overall growth. Not only that, exercise stimulates growth hormone production and promotes better posture. Exercise is therefore beneficial for everyone at all stages of life, and especially during childhood and adolescence.
Morinaga Chil-kid
To ensure your child receives all the nutrition he or she needs to grow tall and strong, choose a growing up milk that will provide all the nutrients to optimise children’s growth.
Morinaga Chil-kid is a fortified growing up milk specially formulated for children’s growing up needs. Formulated in Japan for children aged one to seven, Morinaga Chil-kid is packed with 45 essential nutrients necessary for the optimal growth and development of fast-growing children.
The nutrients include ARA+DHA, Inositol, GOS, 5 Nucleotides, Omega 3& 6 Long Chain Polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPs) as well as 21 vitamins and minerals. The new, improved Morinaga Chil-kid is formulated with no sucrose and features enhanced micronutrients such as Calcium and Vitamin D[10]. Calcium is very important for strong bones and teeth while Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Made with a balanced ratio of protein, fat and energy, Morinaga Chil-kid – designed specifically according to Asian children’s physique − complements their dietary needs and helps them achieve their daily Recommended Nutrition Intake (RNI) with just two servings a day.
Fully imported and using milk from dairy cows in the Netherlands, Morinaga Chil-kid is packed in a state-of-the-art plant in the Netherlands where it goes through stringent quality assurance processes and a second inspection in Japan before it is exported to Malaysia.
[1] Rotwein, P. (2020). Revisiting the population genetics of human height. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvaa025
[2]Https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/images/Johns-Hopkins-medicine-logo-horizontal-full-color.svg. (2024, October 22). Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-is-a-growth-spurt-during-puberty
[3]Bishop, S. (2023, July 19). Can a Toddler’s Height Predict Their Adult Height? Mayo Clinic News Network. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/childs-height-at-age-2-may-predict-adult-height/
[4]Macronutrients and Micronutrients needed to optimise your child’s catch-up growth | Tips and Guides | Morinaga Malaysia. (n.d.). Morinaga Malaysia. https://morinagamilk.com.my/detail-tip-guide.php?article=T2411250128305380
[5]Fetal development. (n.d.). https://perinatology.com/Reference/Fetal%20development.htm
[6]Care, A. (2024, April 26). When do we stop gaining height? A comprehensive overview | AI care. AI Care. https://ai-care.id/self-help-en/when-do-we-stop-gaining-height-comprehensive-guide-en
[7]Getting Balanced Nutrients from the Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate | Tips and Guides | Morinaga Malaysia. (n.d.). Morinaga Malaysia. https://morinagamilk.com.my/detail-tip-guide.php?article=T2307090746566827
[8]Why Sleep is Important for Children and Tips to Encourage a Good Night’s Sleep | Tips and Guides | Morinaga Malaysia. (n.d.). Morinaga Malaysia. https://morinagamilk.com.my/detail-tip-guide.php?article=T2402160224537579
[9]How much sleep do kids need? (n.d.). Nemours KidsHealth. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sleep.html
[10]Product - Morinaga Milk Formula | Morinaga Malaysia. (n.d.). Morinaga Malaysia. https://morinagamilk.com.my/product.php