Boys are taller than girls on average, and there is nothing wrong with it. But at 8, the average height of a boy and a girl is close to the same. So, what is the average height for an 8-year-old kid? In the blog post below, we will discuss the mean height as well as some factors affecting their height.
What is the average height for 8-year-old boys and girls?
Age 8 is the year your little kid really turns into a big kid. Some girls might enter puberty, and this is perfectly normal. During this period, they may experience a growth spurt of about 2 ¾ inches (6.9 centimeters) per year.
The average height for an 8-year-old boy
Boys’ height measurements at 8 years old will lie between 46.2 and 54.8 inches (117.5 and 139.25 centimeters). So, the mean height for this age group is 50.4 inches (128.12 centimeters).
The average height for an 8-year-old girl
Girls’ height measurements at 8 years old will lie between 46.1 and 54.8 inches (117.27 and 139.41 centimeters). So, the mean height for this age group is 50.3 inches (127.8 centimeters).
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What is the average height based on?
Genetics
In terms of height, genetics play a main factor.
How tall the father is and how tall the mother is can help you know how tall your kid will be. If parents are tall, children will be likely on the taller side and vice versa. But you need to look beyond just parents. Now, look at other biological relatives. For instance, the father is short like the grandfather, but if the mother is tall, the child can still end up tall. This goes the same way for the mother of the child as well. Or you can look at patterns of the siblings’ height (the uncles and aunts of the child) to get an idea of how tall the child might be.
Nutrition
In many poor or third-world countries, you may notice kids are shorter than those in first-world countries. But even in poor areas of first-world countries, if a kid is not getting decent nutrition, they might be shorter. That said, nutrition plays a vital role in determining how tall your child might be by the time they are 8 years old.
Races or ethnicities
You can guess how tall your kid will be when they are older based on your race or ethnicity.
For women, the average height of a Non-Hispanic Black is about 64 inches or 5 feet 4 inches (162.5 centimeters). The average height of a Non-Hispanic Asian is 61.5 inches or 5 feet 1.5 inches (156.3 centimeters), while the average height of a Hispanic is 62 inches or 5 feet 2 inches (157.5 centimeters).
For men, the mean height of Non-Hispanic Black is 69.5 inches or 5 feet 8 inches (176.53 centimeters). The mean height of a Non-Hispanic Asian is 67 inches or 5 feet 5 inches (170.18 centimeters), while the mean height of a Hispanic is 67.4 inches or 5 feet 6 inches (171.1 centimeters).
Genetic disorders and chronic diseases
Both factors can affect your kid’s height at any age.
Celiac disease is when your kid is allergic to gluten. This impacts the quality of nutrition that he needs to grow. He easily gets sick and sometimes needs to be hospitalized. Those with this disease have a tough time consuming enough nutrition that is 100% gluten-free, leading to a lack of nutrition.
Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. Kids with this illness get a slower rate of growth, and they also tend to be shorter than others at their age, even as young as 8 years old.
Turner syndrome is also another chromosomal condition in humans, but mainly affects females. One of the most common features is that it affects the outer look. You can notice the height issues around age 5, so by the time the child reaches 8, she may be much shorter than her classmates.
Or if your children contract cancer, they may be shorter than they could have been if they were healthy. It is because this disease attacks their body and removes extra nutrients that their bodies need to grow. Moreover, radiation and chemo may stop a kid’s growth because these work by wiping out cells.
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Puberty
Generally, the heights of boys and girls are not different around age 8. But some girls might be taller since they enter puberty earlier than others.
Exercise
Getting regular exercise is a potent influence on the production of growth hormones. Weight-bearing exercises, like walking, dancing, hiking, or playing tennis, are good for bone health [1]. Also, resistance exercises, like squats, sit-ups, leg raises, or planks, help strengthen bones. Importantly, exercising at a moderate intensity level might support the ideal shaping of muscle and bone tissues as well as lead to better overall health.
Sleep
Getting enough sleep is vital for a young child for many reasons, from recovering energy to forming brain connections. Also, sleep fuels physical growth because the majority of growth hormones are released during deep sleep. Kids at 8 need to sleep 9 ½ to 11 ½ hours a night, or this might affect motor skills and concentration during the day. And if kids lack sleeping for a long period, they might fail to secrete enough growth hormones naturally, thereby leading to stunted growth.
Other factors affecting height
There are other small factors that we often forget in terms of height growth.
Do you know that a premature birth might affect a kid’s height? A smaller baby needs to catch up on growth at a young age and could continue to “grow up” during their life.
Being around cigarette smoke could also make a kid a little shorter. It is because the harmful chemicals in the smoke hurt cells when breathed in, thereby affecting the child’s height.
Exposure to psychosocial stress can cause a temporary decline in growth because it hinders the production of human growth hormones. Since these hormones are necessary for regulating muscle and bone growth, body fluids, sugar and fat metabolism, and body composition, stress needs to be removed to normalize growth hormone production, followed by a period of catch-up growth.
What if my kid is shorter or taller than average?
As mentioned above, a child’s growth is affected by many factors. So, if they are extremely tall or short compared to others at their age, you should talk to your pediatrician about getting an X-ray of their left hand and wrist because the results are often more exact than a physical exam. Then the doctor can use it to conclude whether or not they are growing at a normal rate or not.
But there is no need to worry much. Remember to track their growth regularly and visit the doctor if you need professional medical attention. Or consult more tips here to support height growth effectively.
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.
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