| There was a time when most American children | | | | adolescents. Most Americans have avoided |
| were expected to grow taller than their | | | | disease and eaten enough meat and milk in |
| parents. Since the early 20th century, | | | | their youth to grow taller and reach their |
| children and adolescents grew about an inch | | | | genetic height potentials.While overall U.S. |
| and a half taller every 20 years. But recent | | | | height averages have more or less stabilized, |
| height measurements suggest that the average | | | | there are small pockets of the population |
| height of Americans has reached a | | | | where slight increases in height are likely |
| plateau.Data collected showed that the | | | | still happening. Studies dating from the |
| average height for Americans has stabilized | | | | 1930s have demonstrated how a person's |
| in the past 50 years to about 5 feet 9 inches | | | | environment and nutrition can directly affect |
| for men and 5 feet 4 inches for women. The | | | | a person's height, size and |
| reason is that most Americans now face few | | | | dimensions.Overwhelmingly, the children who |
| nutritional or health-related stresses in | | | | had received adequate supplements in their |
| their youth. People experience the most | | | | youth grew taller and were even more |
| height increase as infants and then as | | | | successful throughout life. |