The Tall and Short of It: Uncovering the Relationship Between Height and Weight

Radhika Dadhich

Perex: You can understand average weight by height simply by calculating your BMI. The next natural question is how you calculate the BMI. Continue reading to understand the relationship between height and weight and how your BMI plays a crucial role.

You can calculate your BMI simply by taking your weight in kilograms and dividing it by your height in meters. The formula for BMI is as follows:

BMI = weight (kilograms)/height (metres 2).

The formula reveals that height and weight are related, and influences your health.

Will you weigh more if you are taller?

There are two things to remember when you evaluate height versus weight.You will find that you tend to weigh more if you are taller. Similarly, a tall person with excess fat tends to weigh more. According to international statistics, the relationship between height and weight is as follows:

Height

Male

Female

5' 10"

149 - 183 lbs.

135 - 165 lbs.

5' 11"

155 - 189 lbs.

140 - 171 lbs.

6' 0"

160 - 196 lbs.

144 - 176 lbs.

6' 1"

166 - 202 lbs.

149 - 182 lbs.

 

Why do tall people weigh more?

If you are tall, you will weigh more than your shorter friend for the following reasons:

  • Your body will have more tissue to hold the skeleton in place, increasing your tissue and resulting in a higher weight.
  • If you are tall, you will have more muscle mass, which weighs more.

So do not worry if you weigh more than your friend, just check your height.

Is it fun to be taller?

Tall individuals are often envied because they have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your higher muscle mass ensures that you burn more calories even while resting. If you think of it as an equation, if you are tall, you have more muscle—your metabolic rate will be higher, making you capable of burning more calories. This makes it easier for taller people to lose weight or maintain a healthy BMI.

How are height and weight related in children?

In children, weight and height are calculated in percentiles. If you are a new parent and you feel that your child is not gaining weight fast enough, do not worry. The growth rates of children are different. If your child is active, his metabolic rate will be higher, and weight gain will be slower. Here are some of the features of height and weight relationship in children:

  • For boys ranging from 2 to 20 years, the 5th to 85th percentile of BMI is healthy.
  • Boys who fall in the 95th percentile will be overweight or obese.

Studies on girls in the USA found a similar interaction between height and weight. The same study also found that children from low-income groups have a higher propensity to be obese as they tend to consume food with higher calorific values and get less exercise. Hence, when you evaluate the relation between height and weight in children, it is essential to remember the income group to which they belong.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you will understand the relationship between average weight and height and why tall people tend to weigh more. Once you understand the relationship, managing your weight will become easier.

Summary

You are lucky if you are tall! You will find that managing your weight is more manageable as your BMR will be higher. However, do not let this make you careless because if you are not careful, you, too, can put on weight. So, understand the relation between height and weight and develop your best health plan.