The ideal height for a man and a woman is a subject that never fails to spark off animated debates among the general public.

The internet in particular, churns up a whole cauldron of mixed opinions which only make the matter at hand more confusing than it ever was. 

The fact is that it’s subjective. We know that you hate hearing that. But it’s true. 

Unfortunately, we don’t have a definitive number that we can place on what is considered tall for a boy or a girl. Although I personally do… And for a man, it just so happens to be 1 inch taller than I myself measure. 

Sucks just a bit, as I already have social anxiety as you can see in my yt video here.

But the truth is, it depends on so many factors. 

The height that is considered tall for men in Asia, for example, is a lot lesser than what’s considered tall in the United States. So, a man who’s thought to to be tall in China would be well below the national average in the US. 

Similarly, the ideal height for women in Netherlands is a lot more than what’s considered normal in the United Kingdom. Even if you are 5’7, you aren’t tall in Netherlands where as you are 4” above the national average in Britain.

Having said that, here we will give you our take and what’s thought to be considered tall for both men and women, in the United States and globally.

What Height is Considered Tall for a Woman?

Before we jump to a conclusion on what height is considered tall for a woman, let’s take a quick look at the average height for women in different countries around the world.

• Australia – 5’5
• New Zealand – 5’4
• Ireland – 5’5
• France – 5’4
• Ukraine – 5’4
• Lithuania – 5’5 
• Germany – 5’5
• Belgium – 5’5
• United States – 5’4
• Britain – 5’3
• Netherlands – 5’6

Based on those numbers, it would be safe to say that anything more than 5’5 should be considered tall for women.

So, if you are a woman who’s 5’7 consider yourself amongst the lucky ones who has been blessed with an additional few inches. Go flaunt it ladies. Or don’t. But that’s just my preference. I’m 5’3 and I love being short.

That’s usually akin to being a 6-foot man in most parts of the world. 

However, the standard height for being considered for the job of a fashion model in the United States is 5’10. That’s 70”. 

Surprisingly, if you are 5’10 in the US, you are taller than 97.5% of American women. Extremely rare. 

What Height is Considered Tall for a Man?

Now let’s look at some numbers for men’s average height in different countries.

• Australia – 5’10
• New Zealand – 5’10
• Ireland – 5’8
• France – 5’9
• Ukraine – 5’9
• Lithuania – 5’9
• Germany – 5’8
• Belgium – 5’11
• United States – 5’9 (White males)
• Britain – 5’9
• Netherlands – 6’

Based on those numbers, you’d have to be at least 6’ to be considered tall in most parts of the world. 

So if you are 6’+, then you are amongst the lucky ones. 

Related Reading: Best Recumbent Bikes for Tall People

What Are Easy Ways to Tell If I Am Thought of as Tall

Little do people know that just going by off of the national height averages is most definitely not the best way to figure out if you are thought of as tall or not. The best way is to simply look around you at your family and peers and ask yourself a few questions

Am I Taller than Most of My Peers?

This is going to be the most effective way to find out if people consider you tall or not. Just simply look around and see if you usually find yourself looking down at people to talk or if you notice that you are towering over most of your friends and co workers when standing side by side with them.

This is the best way to tell, because if you are only around them most of your life then how would the height of other people in the world matter at all? You picking up what I’m putting down?

Ladies, are You Constantly Wondering if You are Too Tall?

So ladies this one is for you. Are you constantly thinking about your height when you go out or when going to a social event? This is pretty much a dead give away, at least it was for my sister. She was the taller of us three and she was always self conscious about her height… she is 6ft.

She did not like being a girl and being considered tall, which I do not know why. I for one am glad that I am considered short, but if I was tall I would embrace it! Just means I need to find me a tall man too!

Are You the Tallest in the Classroom or in Big Crowds?

Another pretty easy way to tell if you are considered to be on the taller spectrum of heights is to check how your height compares to your peers’.

While sitting in the classroom amongst other students does your head stick out above the others and do you feel like you block the view of other classmates behind you?

Or in crowds at music festivals and concerts are you noticing that you are always the one that blocks the way for other people behind you.

Does it Really Matter If I am Considered Tall or Not? 

People’s fascination with a few extra inches of height is largely based on incorrect perceptions of what’s considered to be a normal height.

Also, the media and entertainment industry seem to have a large role to play. 

But you’d be surprised to know that many celebrities and singers who appear to be really tall, are in fact very short. 

A case in point would be Emilia Clarke, the British Actress who played ‘Daenerys ‘Mother of Dragons’ Targaryen’. 

Emilia is just 5’2. Not that it matters in any way. She’s a fantastic actress who commands an enviable fan following around the world. 

JLO is just 5’5. 

Tom Cruise is just 5’7. So is Al Pacino. 

On the other hand, if you look at quality of life, there does indeed seem to be a correlation between height and longevity. 

Do Tall People Have More Advantages and do Better at Most Things?

Quite the opposite really. 

According to a study conducted by the ‘Albert Einstein College of Medicine’, every 4” of additional height increases the risk of all types of cancer in post-menopausal women. 

That’s a startling statistic. We’d still have to consider that the risk factors that contribute to cancer would vary significantly among different individuals and populations, so if you are looking for a way to get taller naturally, you can be happy with what you have and don’t have to wonder if jumping will make you taller or if swimming will make you taller, you are fine the way you are. 

However, if we were to consider all factors equal, it would make a Dutch woman almost 12% more likely to get Cancer than a Chinese woman. 

But there’s no denying that there are some definite advantages to height.

Does Height have Health Advantages?

Not quite the case.

It’s Even-Steven here…,with different health problems affecting taller people, and the ones on the short side of the spectrum having a fair share of conditions as well.

Let us look at some of the different health problems that people are prone to depending on their height.

Cancer

According to research, if your height is below average, you are at a lower risk of getting several types of cancer.

A study involving over 100,000 women in both North America and Europe showed shorter women to have lower odds of getting ovarian cancer.

Another study showed that shorter men are also less likely to suffer from prostate cancer.

Diabetes

Data collected over 5 years has shown that shorter people are at a higher risk of contracting diabetes type 2 than taller ones.

The best way to protect yourself against diabetes is by losing any extra weight you have and maintaining a healthy body fat ratio, you can do that by having a well-balanced diet, if you are always busy and simply don’t have time to prepare you meals in advance try a meal replacement like Kachava, it has everything you need and is easy and quick to prepare.

Alzheimer’s disease

Taller people, especially men, have an advantage on this one since study has shown that men over 5 feet 11 inches are about 60% less likely to have this variant of dementia. The odds are lower for tall women as well, while the short guys are at a higher risk here.

Cardiovascular disease

Here’s another one where those extra inches might make a great difference since individuals at 5’3” and shorter are believed to be 50% more likely to have coronary heart disease compared to those around 5’8” and above.

While scientists don’t fully understand what causes these diseases to affect tall and short people differently, one this for sure is, tall or short, we all are vulnerable.

That said, here is a fun fact for the record, did you know that short women are likely to deliver before reaching full term? Also, for every centimetre of height difference, shorter women give birth about a fifth of a day earlier than the taller ones.

Another thing, shorter people tend to live longer than the taller ones.

A great way to lower the risk of having cardiovascular disease is by exercising regularly, cardio can help you grow muscles as well so doing it on the regular is very beneficial, if you don’t like doing activities like running or cycling outside, you can get treadmills, spin bikes, etc.

What are the Advantages of Being Tall?

Taller men and women seem to be more confident, dominant, are likely to earn more money as they are generally held in higher esteem. (1)

There’s also a distinct advantage to being tall when you are seeking romantic liaisons. (2)

Women consider taller men to be more attractive and dominant. Ditto with men who generally tend to veer towards women who are a couple of inches taller than the national average. 

But from what we’ve seen, a diminutive frame has rarely stopped anyone from achieving anything they wanted, if they really put their heart into it. 

So, if we were you, we’d take society’s perceptions with a pinch of salt and be happy with the height that we’ve been born with.

Related Reading:

• How Can I Get Bigger Hands? My Personal Strategies & Tips
• Running After Leg Day Good or Bad?
• Shocking Muscle Growth Stories that Will Blow Your Mind
• Neutral Grip Pull-Ups – Everything You Need to Know
• Is Working Out 7 Days a Week Too Much? When is It Beneficial, When is it Not?

References:

1. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-95165-004
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25280116

Ben Mayz

Hi there! I'm Ben, main author and chief editor at Fitlifefanatics.com. I have been obsessed with Strength Training and Fitness for 18 years now.
My passion for living a happy fit lifestyle is what made me realize that fitness is what I wanted for my future.
I went on to earn my Masters in Sports Training & Biomechanics.
My passion for Strength training & fitness and my love of helping others is what made me start Fitlifefanatics.
Here, myself, and a team of specialist aim to provide the most accurate, and actionable information possible in hopes to help foster the fitness community forward.
You can learn more about Fitlifefanatics on our About Page