Hello evster69-ga,
The most recent official data available on height statistics for the
United States can be found at the website of the U.S. Department Of
Health And Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). This data is based on the CDC National Center for Health
Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Anthropometric Reference Data, United States, 1988-1994
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/Anthropometric%20Measures.htm
=======================================================
Based on a review of this data, the following can be concluded:
Males in the United States, 20 years and over (all race/ethnicity
groups) that are 74 inches (6'2") are in the 95th percentile, which
means 5% of males 20 years and over are taller than 6'2".
Females in the United States, 20 years and over (all race/ethnicity
groups) that are 68.1 inches (5'8") are in the 95th percentile, which
means 5% of females 20 years and over are taller than 5'8".
Therefore, less than 5% of females are taller than 5'9", however, this
specific data is not provided here.
References:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
"Table 11. Height in inches for males 20 years and over-number of
examined persons, mean, standard error of the mean, and selected
percentiles, by race-ethnicity and age: United States, 1988-1994"
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/t11.pdf
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
"Table 12. Height in inches for females 20 years and over-number of
examined persons, mean, standard error of the mean, and selected
percentiles, by race-ethnicity and age: United States, 1988-1994"
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/t12.pdf
=======================================================
Based on the NHANES data, for people between the ages of 15 and 19:
Males
Age Percentile Height(in.) Height (ft,in)
15 85th 71.7 5'11.7"
16 85th 72.5 6'0.5"
17 85th 73.5 6'1.5"
18 85th 73.3 6'1.3"
19 85th 71.4 5'11.4"
Females
Age Percentile Height(in.) Height (ft,in)
15 85th 66.5 5'6.5"
16 85th 66.4 5'6.4
17 85th 67.3 5'7.3"
18 85th 67.0 5'7"
19 85th 66.9 5'6.9"
Accurate data is not available for 90th percentile and higher.
Reference:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Table 10. Height in inches for persons 2-19 years-number of examined
persons, mean, standard error of the mean, and selected percentiles,
by sex and age : United States, 1988-1994
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/t10.pdf
=======================================================
Additional information for ages 15 to 19 can be found in the NHANES growth charts.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Clinical Growth Charts
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm
See charts listed under ?Children 2 to 20 years (3rd-97th percentile)?
about 3/4 of the way down the page.
Based on a review of these charts, I come up with the following numbers:
Males
Age Percentile Height(in.) Height (ft,in)
15 97th 72.5 6'0.5"
16 97th 73.5 6'1.5"
17 97th 74.5 6'2.5"
18 97th 74.5 6'2.5"
19 97th 75 6'3"
Females
Age Percentile Height(in.) Height (ft,in)
15 97th 68.5 5'8.5"
16 97th 69 5'9"
17 97th 69 5'9"
18 97th 69 5'9"
19 97th 69 5'9"
References:
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
2 to 20 years: Boys
Stature-for-age and Weight-for-age percentiles
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set2clinical/cj41l071.pdf
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
2 to 20 years: Girls
Stature-for-age and Weight-for-age percentiles
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/growthcharts/set2clinical/cj41l072.pdf
Frequently asked questions about the
2000 CDC growth charts
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhanes/growthcharts/GrowthchartFAQs.htm
"What is a percentile?
Percentiles are the most commonly used clinical indicator to assess
the size and growth patterns of individual children in the United
States. Percentiles rank the position of an individual by indicating
what percent of the reference population the individual would equal or
exceed. For example, on the weight-for-age growth charts, a 5-year-old
girl whose weight is at the 25th percentile, weighs the same or more
than 25 percent of the reference population of 5-year-old girls, and
weighs less than 75 percent of the 5-year-old girls in the reference
population."
=======================================================
The website of Short Persons Support provides a calculator that uses
the NHANES data.
shortsupport.org
Height Analyzer
http://www.shortsupport.org/Research/analyzer.html
The calculator opens up in a separate pop-up window.
shortsupport.org
http://www.shortsupport.org/Research/analyzerProgram.html
Using this calculator, I come up with the following numbers:
3.1% of men are taller than 6'2".
2.4% of women are taller than 5'9".
=======================================================
About.com has a children's growth chart calculator.
About.com
Children's Growth Chart Percentiles Calculator
http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_kids_centils.htm
Using this calculator, I come up with the following numbers:
For girls 5'9" -
Age Percentile
15 greater than 97th
16 97th
17 97th
18 97th
19 96th
For boys 6'2" -
Age Percentile
15 greater than 97th
16 97th
17 96th
18 95th
19 94th
======================================================
Other interesting references:
U.S. Census Bureau
2003 Statistical Abstract of the United States
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html
U.S. Census Bureau
2003 Statistical Abstract of the United States
Section 3. Health and Nutrition
http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/03statab/health.pdf
See Table No. 208. Cumulative Percent Distribution of Population
by Height and Sex: 1988-94.
Halls.md
Average height and weight charts
http://www.halls.md/chart/height-weight.htm
TallPages.com
http://www.tallpages.com/uk/index.php?pag=ukstatist.php
=======================================================
I hope you have found this information helpful. If you have any
questions, please request clarification prior to rating the answer.
Googlenut
Search Strategy:
I was familiar with the US Census Bureau data, from previous research.
This led me to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, which
was listed as the source for the Census Bureau data.
I also made the following searches on Google:
"tall people" height statistics "united states"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=%22tall+people%22+height+statistics+%22united+states%22&btnG=Google+Search
height statistics "united states"
://www.google.com/search?q=height+statistics+%22united+states%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off
height statistics OR percentile men OR male women OR female
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=height+statistics+OR+percentile+men+OR+male+women+OR+female&btnG=Search |
