Growing Taller

Question:

I am a 16-year-old girl and my height is 160cm. I would like to be 10cm taller but I seem to have stopped growing. Are there any ways to grow taller at my age? Will doing a certain sport or taking some kind of supplements help?

Answer:

It is difficult to advise you because the information provided is incomplete. For example, it is useful to know the height of your parents, as your expected height is dependent on your parents’ heights. It is also important to know the rate of increase in your height in the last few years.

Other factors, which could affect your height, include chronic medical illness, nutritional status and body weight, physical activity and emotional well-being. Based on your age, your height of 160cm is not considered short compared to the average female in Singapore.

You would have achieved most of your growth in height by the age of 16 years. There is no supplement that has been proven to be effective in helping people grow taller. Instead, I would advise you to lead a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, taking nutritious food such as fruits and vegetables, getting adequate sleep and rest, and being emotionally balanced.

If you are underweight, you should try to eat a balanced diet and gain weight back to the normal range (body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 23 kg/m2; BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kg by the square of your height in metres).

If you are concerned about your growth, you may consider consulting your doctor who can assess your circumstances in detail.