Tall? Short? What do you think .... regarding humans

[Cataholic]

I've read that basketball coaches, when recruiting, look at the mom's height before looking at the dad.

That is fascinating. I have heard that the mother's paternal side 'dictates'- LOL. I am 5'3", and Jonah is already 4'11" (at 9). The doctor says if he continues to do what he has always done, growth wise, he will top 6'2". STILL short for professional BB, right? LOL.

[Randi]

I searched and found this. Sorry it is in centimeters, but you get the idea.

Results from health interview surveys (SUSY) demonstrates that the Danes have grown higher. In 1987, the average height for a Danish man aged 16 or over 177.3 cm and in 2000 it was 179.1 cm.

Similarly, women's average height increased from 165.3 cm in 1987 to 166.4 cm in 2000. The figure shows that the average height for an adult Dane has increased in all age groups except among women aged 67 years or over who have the same height.

Average height...

	Men	Women	I alt
	- - - - - - - - height in cm - - - - - - - -
16-19 år	181,0	168,5	174,8
20-24 år	181,9	169,0	175,5
25-29 år	181,8	169,1	175,4
30-34 år	182,2	168,3	175,0
35-39 år	181,5	167,8	174,5
40-44 år	180,9	166,9	173,8
45-49 år	179,3	166,4	172,9
50-54 år	178,5	166,1	172,2
55-59 år	177,4	165,3	171,6
60-64 år	176,1	165,1	170,7
65-69 år	175,9	164,0	169,8
70-74 år	175,5	163,0	169,1
75-79 år	174,1	162,7	168,0
80 years or more	173,2	161,6	166,1
I alt	179,2	166,4	172,7

I would like to see the height of people two centuries ago.

[Karen]

That is fascinating. I have heard that the mother's paternal side 'dictates'- LOL. I am 5'3", and Jonah is already 4'11" (at 9). The doctor says if he continues to do what he has always done, growth wise, he will top 6'2". STILL short for professional BB, right? LOL.

It is funny how genetics work - but it cannot be true that the mother's paternal side dictates the height of the grandchildren - how would that explain the 4-inch height difference between my brothers? It is clear looking at our family tree that Lady's Human and I get more of our genes from our paternal grandfather than maternal, and our older siblings the other side!

I have a friend, let's call her Maggie. She is just about 5'1" if that. When she was a young woman, she blatantly refused to date any guys under 5'10" - she didn't want her children to end up as short as she was. Her eventual husband was 6" or so, and sure enough both her boys tower over her (5' 8" and 5' 10") and while she said, "You know, when you have to tilt your head back to look your child in the face, 'Clean your room or else!' doesn't come off nearly as intimidating!," she is glad her sons have the height they do!

[pomtzu]

I honestly like being short. The only issue I've ever really had with that, is when buying slacks or jeans, They were always too long and had to be hemmed. It's much easier now tho, since it's much easier than it used to be, to find clothes made for petites. Now if they would only make more petites in age appropriate styles, and not cater to the much younger crowd. I wear petites, but not jeans with ragged holes already in them, or the waistline so far down on your hips that they practically fall off, or the ""skinny jeans" and skin tight leggins. Give us "older" petites a break, please.....20 years old I am not!

[Karen]

I honestly like being short. The only issue I've ever really had with that, is when buying slacks or jeans, They were always too long and had to be hemmed. It's much easier now tho, since it's much easier than it used to be, to find clothes made for petites. Now if they would only make more petites in age appropriate styles, and not cater to the much younger crowd. I wear petites, but not jeans with ragged holes already in them, or the waistline so far down on your hips that they practically fall off, or the ""skinny jeans" and skin tight leggins. Give us "older" petites a break, please.....20 years old I am not!

I know what you men! I recently got a catalog from a company I ordered a couple skirts from - I do NOT like the restrictive "pencil" skirts one bit, and that seems to be mostly what stores sell. I wanna be able to move my legs when I walk! Anyway, when I got the actual catalog, I was pleasantly surprised to see it offers all its clothes in "petite" versions, and even has a page explaining they alter the sleeve length, not just the hems, for the "petite" versions, and give measurements for hem length on everything! While I do not count as Petite, obviously, I have friends and family members who do, and sent them the link! Just because one stopped growing at 15, does not mean their tastes in clothing get stuck there!

[Asiel]

I honestly like being short. The only issue I've ever really had with that, is when buying slacks or jeans, They were always too long and had to be hemmed. It's much easier now tho, since it's much easier than it used to be, to find clothes made for petites. Now if they would only make more petites in age appropriate styles, and not cater to the much younger crowd. I wear petites, but not jeans with ragged holes already in them, or the waistline so far down on your hips that they practically fall off, or the ""skinny jeans" and skin tight leggins. Give us "older" petites a break, please.....20 years old I am not!

Yes, I can truly relate to what you're saying Pom. I'm 5'3 an most of the petite sizes fit right on BUT.....like you it would be nice to find age appropriate clothes. Those skinny jeans drive me nuts as the so called dressy slacks. I don't mind the waist sitting a bit below the waist since I like those wide belts, have a closet full of those. As for tops that bare everything I can do without, especially when they scoop almost at the navel . I guess younger people buy more than we do so the stores cater to them. The only real shop I find decent clothes is TanJay...I've always loved their clothes and always will as long as they don't do a turn around.
I had such a hard time finding decent slacks this winter so I had an idea....went to my tack shop and bought riding pants....they fit really well and are made well... almost choked laughing from all the compliments I got, but they did fit nicely with those high boots. No one would believe they were riding pants, I bought the ones without the suede patch on the knees.

[katladyd]

I come from a fairly tall family, so I regard any man under 5"10 as pretty short. I'm tall (almost 5'9", my brother is 6'1", my dad was 6', my mom was 5'7 1/2", and my sister (the midget as we call her) is only 5'6". I love being tall (you carry weight real well ) and I prefer my men to be over 6'. My ex husband was 6'3", and my late fiance was 6'1". So, yeah, to me,short is under 5'10' for men and 5'6" for women. I think a lot of what we consider short or tall comes from our family background.

[Miss Z]

Have any of you ever seen this UK advert? Sums up my view frighteningly well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-HCl6wQ0s

[carole]

I'm a shorty at 5ft 2", my son is 5ft 8',his dad was 6 ft 1, I consider him average,my girl is 5ft 4 ,so both average.

[Karen]

Have any of you ever seen this UK advert? Sums up my view frighteningly well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww-HCl6wQ0s

Hadn't seen it, but that's a cute one!

[redbird]

I never liked short men, as long as they are a few inches taller than me, it's fine. I am only 5'3". I prefer a man of at least 5'9". My X-husband was 6ft.

[finn's mom]

I'm just over 5'1. I like being short. I have always considered guys 5'9 or under to be short. I have one brother who is 6', and one who is 5'3. My mom is 5'4, my dad was just under 6'. We have always assumed my short brother is short because he was sick with leukemia from 5-10 years of age. My husband is just under 5'11, and he's one of the shortest men I have ever been with. Most have been 6' or more, the tallest being 6'7. I did date a guy who was 5'2, and I really didn't like it at all! My son is only four months old at this point, but he's measuring tall at just over 26 inches. So is my daughter. She'll be 5 in August, and is almost 4 feet tall.

Genetics are wild! We have a dark skinned brunette daughter with brown eyes, and our son is looking to be redheaded, and he's pale complected with blue eyes.

[DJFyrewolf36]

I'm 5'3" (ish) so I get towered over a lot, especially by guys. I do love having a tall guy around, though, mostly because I have short dinosaur arms and I can't reach the top shelf.

I admit to being a bit weirded out by a guy who is shorter than I am but that's because I'm so used to being the shortest person in a room.

[carole]

Hey Finns mom long time no see.great you are still here.

I have always liked tall men to, married to a 6 ft 1 However I was once engaged to a 5ft 3inch guy,just imagine how short our kids would have been,oh well I got the averages.

Yeah I don't mind being short ,my sister is 5 6. but I'm ok with being the little one like my mum.

[Karen]

Genetics are wild! We have a dark skinned brunette daughter with brown eyes, and our son is looking to be redheaded, and he's pale complected with blue eyes.

Aren't they? It is so fun to see how they play out! Spotting the "Smith hands" on the newest baby cousin in the family (Ma was a Smith) made me grin! And I bet your son will be jealous that Clara doesn't need as much sunscreen as he does, when he's old enough to notice such things!