How tall are American women? As of 2016, the average height for American women 20 years old and up is just under 5 foot 4 inches (about 63.7 inches) tall. The average weight is 170.6 pounds. Body size and shape have changed over the years. Back in the 1960s , the average woman between 20 to 74 years old stood 63.1 inches tall and weighed approximately 140.2 pounds. Height is increasing at a slower rate than weight is increasing. Read on to learn why this is happening and what you can do to keep yourself in the healthy range. Did you know? The average height for an American man 20 years old and up is just over 5 foot 9 inches (about 69.1 inches) tall. The average weight is 197.9 pounds.

Are Americans getting taller? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the average height has increased only very slightly since the 1960s. On the other hand, weight has increased significantly in the last 60 years. Research from 2016 shows that potential height is related to the quality of nutrition in infancy and childhood. This study even links a population’s height to its standard of living. So why is growth for Americans slowing down? Some say it indicates issues with access to food or maybe choosing lower quality foods that don’t have enough nutrients. In an interview with National Public Radio, Majid Ezzati, the chair of Global Environmental Health at Imperial College London, suggests that the immigration of people from countries with shorter stature may also have some impact on the average.

What’s the average height across the world? Growth rates haven’t slowed in all parts of the world. In fact, some countries, such as South Korea, are experiencing quite a growth spurt. According to research, women in South Korea have gained an average of just under eight inches over the past century. As of 1996, Guatemala had the lowest average height for women at 58.8 inches, or about 4 feet 9 inches. It’s followed closely by the Philippines, Bangladesh, and Nepal, where women’s heights averaged around 59.4 inches. The tallest women, on the other hand, can be found in Latvia, the Netherlands, Estonia, and the Czech Republic. In these countries, the average height was just over 66 inches, or around 5 feet 6 inches.

What’s the relationship between height and weight? As of 2016, the average body mass index (BMI) for American women is 29.6 , which is considered overweight. In 1999, the average BMI was 28.2. How do you calculate your BMI? There are different formulas to calculate BMI for adults and children . The ranges are as follow: Underweight: anything under 18.5

anything under 18.5 Healthy: anything between 18.5 and 24.9

anything between 18.5 and 24.9 Overweight: anything between 25 and 29.9

anything between 25 and 29.9 Obese: anything above 30 BMI is a good guideline, but it isn’t always accurate for all people. Women who engage in high amounts of physical activity, like athletes, may weigh more due to higher muscle mass and may have an overestimated BMI. Older women tend to store more body fat than younger women and may have an underestimated BMI based on the standard formula. If you’re concerned about your weight or BMI, consider making an appointment with your doctor to discuss the full picture of your health.