What is the average height of a 16-year-old teen?
Girls, on average, start puberty around ages 10 to 11 and end puberty around 15 to 17. That means their height at 16 does not increase much. And 64 inches (162.5 centimeters) are their mean height at this age.
Meanwhile, boys often start puberty later than girls. That is why they might be shorter at the beginning, but then they will become taller. And 68.3 inches (173.5 centimeters) are their mean height at 16.
How to grow taller at 16? Is it possible?
From genes to nutrition, everything plays a vital role in determining your final height. While your genes occupy most and you cannot control them, you can regulate the remaining factors. HOW? Keep scrolling to know!
Engaging in a balanced diet
Most 16-year-old teens are still growing. That is why they need a balanced and nutritious diet to help build strong bones and muscles, which is necessary for contributing to height growth.
They should focus on
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Carbohydrates are the main energy source and take over half of calories. Make sure to select healthy carbs from high-carb vegetables, grains, fruits, dried fruits, and pulses, such as sweet potatoes, corn, brown rice, quinoa, oats, bananas, apples, dates, raisins, kidney beans, lentils, etc.
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Protein is necessary to build and grow muscles and occupies about a quarter of calories. Good sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, legumes, soy, and low-fat and non-fat dairy products.
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Calcium is needed to make teeth and bones stronger. Try to consume more milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, canned salmon, cereal, and orange juice.
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Vitamin D plays a key role in supporting the body in absorbing calcium. Modest amounts of this nutrient can be found in mushrooms, alfalfa, milk, and cereals.
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Zinc helps with overall growth and sexual maturation, especially lacking zinc might stunt growth in boys [1]. You easily get zinc from oysters, poultry, red meat, crab, beans, nuts, whole grains, breakfast cereals, and dairy products.
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Healthy fats also help with overall development and support the body in absorbing vitamins and minerals. Choose healthy fats from vegetable oils, nuts, fatty fish, olives, and avocados.
Watering the body
Water supports the body’s function by absorbing more proteins, minerals, and other nutrients into cells. Relying on that, cells work properly and speed up the absorption process, supporting physical growth. But the question is how much water a 16-year-old teen should drink.
For ages 14 to 18, the suggested water intake is between 64 and 88 ounces or 8 to 11 cups
Considering supplements
The food your children eat is vital to growing and staying healthy. But in some cases, food cannot give them enough nutrients. And that is why you should add supplements to their diet to meet the requirements.
Supplements range from vitamins, herbs, and even synthetic growth hormones that might increase height by a few inches. But since these products are present everywhere but not as tightly regulated by the FDA, you should consider your doctor’s advice before using them.
Stretching the whole body
Along with a healthy diet, stretching every single part of the body is necessary to keep your children in good shape and help them grow taller. Yes, stretching improves the spine flexibility, heightens the spinal muscles, and lengthens the leg muscles. Make sure to do stretches constantly and rigorously to acquire health benefits.
Also, try to be active as much as possible by hanging on a bar whenever you have time. Or you should start engaging in activities, like swimming, basketball, or cycling.
Absorbing vitamin D from sunlight
The truth is, vitamin D is the unique one we do not get enough of. But do you know by only exposing your skin to sunlight and then everything will be solved? When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it helps makes vitamin D from cholesterol. Wear a tank top and shorts, and try going without sunscreen for about the first 10-30 minutes, depending on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight. Then apply sunscreen before your skin starts burning. Besides, do not forget to wear sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes and face.
Sleeping properly
Not getting enough sleep might bring an impact on a person’s growth because growth hormone is generally secreted when sleeping, this is the case. If your children obtain too little sleep on a regular basis, known as sleep deprivation, growth hormone will be reduced.
Teens at 16 are advised to sleep between 8 and 10 hours every night to stimulate the production of growth hormones and allow the body to relax and grow.
Getting rid of bad habits
Certain habits might stunt your growth for sure. For instance,
Nicotine, which makes smokers feel good and energetic in a short period, can affect growth hormone production. Badly, smoking frequently boosts the amount of carbon dioxide in the body, which blocks the supply of oxygen through the cells and body tissues.
Although there is no evidence relating to caffeine consumption and growth stunning, drinking coffee too late may keep you awake for a long time, and you cannot get to sleep on time
Controlling body weight
The average weight for 16-year-old girls and boys is 118 lbs (53.52 kg) and 134 lbs (60.78 kg). But gaining weight to the point of obesity might lead to health problems. With an extra body weight, gravity may press the intervertebral discs and leave you with a short frame. Moreover, if the body weight continues increasing, it puts extra pressure on the bones and joints, making you appear shorter.
Avoid consuming too much salt and sugar
Salt and sugar are two vital spices in cooking, but overusing them may stunt your children’s growth.
The body needs a small amount of salt to support different functions. However, too much salt will cause calcium loss, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even stroke. It is similar to consuming too many sugary foods. If the tummy is full of sugar, it cannot stuff any good and healthy foods for proper growth.
The recommended amount of salt and sugar for teens at this age is less than about 1 teaspoon of salt (6 g) and no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar (25 g) per day.
Maintaining good posture
Text neck, hunched shoulders, and curved spine may make you appear shorter than your real height. And if you continue maintaining these postures, the curves will change to adapt to your new posture, causing pain in the neck and back. So, when you have to sit all day long in front of the computer, put a pillow on the back to correct the posture. Or when scrolling through your phone or iPad, remember to take a break and check your posture. Or do some exercises to improve your posture.
Dressing smartly
Putting on fitted and properly-sized clothes helps focus on the lines of the body. Avoid wearing baggy clothes because they just make you look shorter and smaller. If you want to look tall and slim, the best choice is to opt for some darker shades like dark blue, forest green, and black. Clothes with vertical stripes are also a good way to make you appear taller.
In closing
Once the growth plates in the bones close, a person cannot grow any taller. While most girls reach their full height between 14 and 16 years old, boys reach their full height later 2 years, between 16 and 18 years old. Although there is no chance that your children’s growth plates are closed, there are a couple of ways they can improve their posture to look taller. In case they are still growing, eating a nutritious and healthy diet, using supplements, sleeping properly, and exercising do help you grow taller
