How to grow taller at 12 years old for teenage boys and girls

When it comes to height increase, both boys and girls will experience significant impacts on their growth at the age of 12. Despite gender-dependent differences, this is still a golden growth age for teenagers to increase height and maximize their growth. Let’s learn more about how to grow taller at 12 effectively.

Why should you focus on how to grow taller fast at 12?

Puberty is a vital stage that both boys and girls typically go through a significant growth spurt with dramatic changes in physical development, turning young children into mature teens and then adults along the time. This occurs at different ages for each gender.

For girls, puberty begins around age 10, along with breast development and menstruation. Their height growth usually reaches its peak by about 2 years after puberty began, which is 12 on average [1]. Because their growth spurts start sooner, girls usually stop growing or grow slowly at around 16 [2].

How to grow taller at 12 years old boy

Boys begin their puberty around 2 years later than girls, usually at the age of 12 -13 [1]. They start with a deeper voice and facial hair and tend to surge their growth at 12 to 15 years old. Most boys will continue to develop their muscles and growth until 18 years old [2].

What is the average height at the age of 12?

If you have a 12-year-old at home, he/she either is in the middle of a huge growth spurt or has not grown much at all. In the latter case, knowing the average height for boys and girls aged 12 might ease your worries. 

According to the World Health Organization, boys at the age of 12 on average are 58.7 inches or 149.1 centimeters tall [3]. On the other hand, for girls, the average height at the age of 12 is 59.4 inches or 151 centimeters [4]. These are the heights of boys and girls in the 50th percentile on the CDC growth charts respectively.

This information can be helpful for parents to know if their child’s growth is on track, but when monitoring changes in growth, doctors usually take into consideration other factors such as weight and the pattern of growth over time.

How to grow taller at 12?

Keeping in mind the importance of age 12 in adolescence growing years, here are some effective ways for teenage boys and girls to surge up their height and reach their full growth potential.

A balanced diet

One of the most significant ways on how to grow taller at 12 is to ensure a nutritious and proper diet for your teens. Nutrition is especially important for teenagers during the growth spurt of puberty, that the required calories and nutrients are at one of their highest points considering the entire life span.

Foods that make you taller at 12

A balanced diet includes all four groups of key nutrients in appropriate proportion. The consumption of more or less of these can be detrimental to the growth and development of your body:

• Protein is vital for the growth of all muscles, bones, organs, tissues and cartilages in the body, especially in the development stage of a growth spurt. Foods that are high in proteins include eggs, beef, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, grains, milk and dairy products.
• Fat reserves the energy for your body and assists the formation of tissues. Healthy fat provides concentrated calories that support the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Foods rich in this nutrient are fish oil, avocado, olives, nuts and seeds.
• Carbohydrates provide the main source of energy and participate in the formation of cells and tissues in the body. Carbohydrates are highly contained in rice, bread, potatoes, grains, etc.
• Vitamins and minerals are crucial to the proper functioning and development of every element in the body. Although there are many different types, certain vitamins and minerals play important roles to increase height such as vitamin D or calcium. Consume foods such as fish, leafy greens, eggs, fruits, etc. for high amounts of these nutrients.

Good eating habits

Aside from a balanced diet, it is also important to build up healthy eating patterns for young teenagers. Many teenage boys and girls do not care much about nutrition but prefer to fulfill their tastes with more fast food, processed food and sweets. It may be difficult to fully eliminate fast food burgers, pizzas or carbonated drinks out of the menu, but make sure that your children consume them occasionally.

All teens should try to eat three meals per day without skipping while skipping meals is quite common and becomes a bad habit. It is recommended that regular meals should be spread out for food intake throughout the day.

To prevent them from skipping meals, it is suggested that light meals or healthy snacks such as smoothies or bananas can be included in their menu. Some girls are also cautious about their bodies and may go on a diet. Making sure they do not get hungry too much that leads to unbalanced nutrition is a critical way on how to get taller at 12 years old girl.

Get quality sleep

Sleep is so important that it must always be highlighted for children, teenagers and adults as well. In fact, quality sleep is one of the most critical factors that can help increase height and enhance body development properly. Staying up late or skipping sleep will be harmful to health and body buildup.

Therefore, make sure that your teens get a good sleep of 8 hours most nights from around 10:00 PM. Assist their sleep with comfortable sleeping conditions such as appropriate room temperature or clean sleeping space. Also, avoid using mobile devices and heavy snacks before sleeping for better sleep quality.

Exercise regularly

Exercises and sports make you taller at 12

Exercises and sports are highly beneficial for teenage boys and girls to increase their height naturally. Exercises in general and outdoor sports in particular are able to effectively facilitate the growth of your body, bones, cartilages and musculoskeletal system.

Sports such as swimming, basketball, volleyball, etc. are popular for teenagers to play, especially recommended for how to grow taller fast at 12 years old boy. For instance, swimming is an enjoyable activity that helps to stretch your body and strengthen the spine for a taller and healthy body. Teenage girls can engage in stretching or yoga exercises to increase height and keep their bodies fit.

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight at the age of 12 can hinder the chance of achieving maximal height. Why? Because the heavier a person is, the more stress is put on the spine. This compresses the intervertebral discs of the spine, thus negatively affecting height gain. What is more, teenagers putting on weight uncontrollably can run the risk of developing obesity, followed by a range of serious health issues.

Whether it is to keep an eye on food intake or lead an active lifestyle, parents should be role models for their children and help them maintain a healthy weight. At the end of the day, it’s all the hands of parents to ensure their 12-year-olds can grow to their full potential.

Spend time in the sun

Whatever your age, the body needs some sun exposure. This natural source of light is even more pivotal to a growing body due to vitamin D – a vitamin produced when the skin is exposed to the sun. It can enhance calcium absorption to help your teens grow healthier, stronger bones. Although most vitamin D needs can be satisfied with food or supplements, it only takes a little time spent in the sun to get the required vitamin D levels.

why am i so short at 12?

Furthermore, sun exposure plays a part in boosting mood, improving sleep quality, and strengthening the immune system. Parents can encourage their children to exercise outdoors to enjoy the combined benefits of exercise and sun exposure. Don’t forget to remind them to wear sunscreen while you’re at it!

Improve posture

Poor posture can increase the strain on bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. As your 12-year-old is growing rapidly, improper posture can result in abnormal spine growth, abnormal positioning, or even arthritis later in life.

Improving your teen’s posture not only helps to relieve muscle strain but also promotes height increase and self-confidence. Be a good example and correct your own posture instead of saying “Straighten up!” all the time. Yoga and sports like swimming are good practices for better posture as well. As teenagers already spend most of their time sitting at school, don’t let them sit more at home by limiting their screen time.

Take supplements to support height growth

As previously discussed, the growing body needs a variety of nutrients for proper development. This, however, is easier said than done. In fact, many boys and girls at 12 years of age find it difficult to consume a healthy and balanced diet on a daily basis given their parents’ busy schedules. For this reason, height growth supplements can be a smart choice to complement their diet and support their height increase. While some of the best height growth pills deliver beneficial nutrients for height development, others might be of low quality with only extravagant claims about its non-existent benefits. As a consequence, it is utterly important to seek high-quality height growth supplements for the expected results.

Find out more about height growth pills

What foods make you taller at 12?

In this part, we will dive deeper into the good foods that can do wonders for your height growth. Here are the top 10 foods that make you to be taller at 12.

Milk and dairy products

Milk contains all the nutrients needed for height growth, and it should be added to the diet of every growing child. It delivers a great boost to their height with the help of calcium, protein, and vitamins. Also, children should take other dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and curd to get calcium and vitamins for bone mineralization.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the available and inexpensive foods with protein and other nutrients in abundance that helps increase height effectively. They also have many essential amino acids needed for the overall growth of children. Make sure to add eggs almost daily to your children’s meal, like preparing a boiled egg, omelet, or poached egg.

Chicken

Chicken is rich in protein and vitamin B12, which are crucial for building your body mass, tissues, and muscles, thereby making you grow taller and taller. It also contains taurine, an amino acid that helps control bone growth and formation.

Salmon

Amongst fatty fish, salmon is stuffed with more omega-3 fatty acids, which are involved in bone health and might boost bone turnover to optimize growth. Moreover, it is rich in B vitamins, potassium, protein, and selenium needed for height growth.

Almonds

Almonds include up to ¼ calcium levels as milk to strengthen bones and lower the risk of developing injuries and fractures. They are also rich in vitamin E, which is necessary to enhance the growth of cell linings and newer cells in the body. Ideally, having 8-10 almonds daily is perfect to reap all the benefits.

Quinoa

Quinoa is one of the few plant-based foods that have all nine of the essential amino acids the body needs. It is also rich in magnesium, a vital ingredient of bone tissue that can enhance bone mineral density.

Leafy veggies

These include spinach, kale, cabbage, and arugula, which are superstars when it comes to height growth. Although the amount of nutrients changes between different types, these veggies deliver a concentrated amount of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. They are also high in vitamin K, a vital nutrient that might promote bone density and stimulate height growth.

Berries

Berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are fruits loaded with important nutrients for cell growth, tissue repair, and height growth. These fruits are especially rich in vitamin C to boost the synthesis of collagen. Also, they are a great source of fiber, vitamin K, and manganese.

Oatmeal

Eating at least 50 g of oatmeal for breakfast is suggested for those who want to enhance their height. It is another protein-rich food that aids in repairing tissues and bones. It also enhances the formation of new tissues.

Beans

Beans are high in protein, which is a vital factor to support growth in children by boosting increased insulin-like growth factor 1. They also contain iron, B vitamins, and other nutrients like fiber, zinc, copper, magnesium, and manganese.

In general, age 12 is golden in the developmental stage of teenagers to increase height and enhance body growth. A balanced diet not only provides the right nutrients to get taller but also a way to build up proper overall health for your teens.

Pay attention to their sleep and eating habits to ensure that your teens are living a healthy lifestyle. Also, encourage them to engage in sports and exercises to enjoy fun activities that actually benefit their health and growth.

REFERENCES

[3] https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/child-growth/growth-reference-5-19-years/height-for-age-(5-19-years)/hfa-boys-5-19years-per.pdf?sfvrsn=56a734fa_4

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/data/set2clinical/cj41c072.pdf

• Related post: Top 8 healthy drinks that make you taller

Joy Bauer

Joy Bauer is a renowned physician and nutrition expert who has dedicated her career to helping people live healthier, happier lives. With over two decades of experience in the field of health and wellness, Dr. Bauer has become one of the most trusted voices in the industry.

One of Dr. Bauer’s areas of expertise is in the field of height growth. She has worked with countless patients over the years who were looking to increase their height naturally, and has developed a range of effective strategies and techniques to help them achieve their goals.

Dr. Bauer believes that a healthy diet and lifestyle are essential for optimal growth and development. She works closely with her patients to develop personalized nutrition plans that are tailored to their unique needs and goals. These plans include a variety of nutrient-dense foods and supplements that are designed to support healthy bone growth and development.

In addition to her work in height growth, Dr. Bauer is also a leading expert in the areas of weight loss, disease prevention, and overall wellness. She is a regular contributor to a number of popular media outlets, including The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, and Good Morning America.

If you’re looking for a physician who is passionate about helping you live your best life, look no further than Dr. Joy Bauer. With her expertise, compassion, and commitment to excellence, she is the ideal partner for anyone who is looking to achieve their health and wellness goals.

The reason behind the creation of the website HowToGrowTaller is to provide effective guidance and support to individuals who are looking to increase their height naturally. Dr. Joy Bauer recognized that many people feel self-conscious or insecure about their height, and that there is a great deal of misinformation out there about how to grow taller.

With HowToGrowTaller, Dr. Bauer wanted to create a comprehensive resource that would provide individuals with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to achieve their height goals. The website includes a wide range of resources, including nutrition plans, exercise routines, and other proven strategies that are designed to support healthy growth and development.

One of the key benefits of HowToGrowTaller is that it is a one-stop-shop for all things related to height growth. Instead of spending countless hours researching different strategies and techniques, individuals can turn to the website to access everything they need in one convenient location.

Overall, the goal of HowToGrowTaller is to help individuals feel more confident and empowered in their bodies. By providing them with the resources and support they need to grow taller naturally, Dr. Bauer hopes to help people achieve their height goals and improve their overall quality of life.