Average American Male Height

Increasing obesity is one of the major health problems in the United States. Studies conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that the average height of an American man (20-74 years old) has increased from 5'8" to 5'9½" in the last forty years. The average body mass index (BMI), has also increased among American adults, from approximately 25 in 1960 to 28 in 2002. To calculate the BMI, weight and height measurements need to be taken into consideration.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only. The average American male height may vary according to the race, lifestyle, genetic disposition, location, etc.

For example, white, black, Hispanic and other groups exhibit different averages for height. The average weight and height chart for men is available in local clinics for reference.

Average Height (feet, inches)  and Average Weight (pounds)
4' 6"  : 63 - 77
4' 7" : 68 - 84
4' 8" : 74 - 90
4' 9" : 79 - 97
4' 10" : 85 - 103
4' 11" : 90 - 110
5' 0" : 95 - 117
5' 1" : 101 - 123
5' 2" : 106 - 130
5' 3" : 112 - 136
5' 4" : 117 - 143
5' 5" : 122 - 150

5' 6" : 128 - 156
5' 7" : 133 - 163
5' 8" : 139 - 169
5' 9" : 144 - 176
5' 10" : 149 - 183
5' 11" : 155 - 189
6' 0" : 160 - 196
6' 1" : 166 - 202
6' 2" : 171 - 209
6' 3" : 176 - 216
6' 4" : 182 - 222
6' 5" : 187 - 229
6' 6" : 193 - 235
6' 7" : 198 - 242
6' 8" : 203 - 249

6' 9" : 209 - 255
6' 10" : 214 - 262
6' 11" :220 - 268
7' 0" : 225 - 275

After knowing the average height of American men, we can conclude that half of all American men are taller than 5 feet 9 inches and half are shorter than 5 feet 9 inches. Here is some more information on average American male statistics.

• About ⅔ out of 100 men (about 68 men) are between 5'7" and 6'.
• About ⅔ out of all American men are 5'10" ± 3".
• About ⅓ of American men are outside this range, with about half of those on each side.

• So, one out of 6 men is 6'1" or taller, and about one out of six men is 5'6" or shorter.
• The average American male shoe size is 9-12 (U.S. measure).
• An average American man has 17.6% body fat.
• An average American man weighs 182 lbs.
• On an average, an American man exercises 2.87 hours a week.

• An average American man has 12.4 inch biceps and a 39.7 inch chest.
• An American man spends $596 dollars on sporting goods and equipment, each year.
• An American man spends $874 on vitamins and food supplements.
• An average American man runs one mile in 12 minutes and 17 seconds.

• An average American man runs 110 meters in 16.5 seconds.
• An average American man eats 193 hamburgers and 115 hot dogs annually.
• The average lifespan of an American man is 77 years.

The average male or female height cannot be considered in isolation. It is a multidimensional entity. Lifestyle, genes, location, etc., influence the average height of a man and a woman. For example, White Americans differ in height from the Afro Americans. Genetic factors influence the height greatly.

Height is obviously related to the physical growth and upbringing of the child. Children who follow a healthy diet, perform exercises regularly, keep themselves engaged in sports activities like basketball, cycling, athletics, swimming, etc., are likely to grow taller than the children who do not do this.

The hormone somatotropin (growth hormone) released by the anterior pituitary gland promotes cellular division and determines the lengthening of bones. Somatotropin stimulates the secretion of another growth promoting hormone 'Insulin-like growth factor 1' (IGF-1), primarily by the liver.

These and several other hormones play an important role in the growth of an individual. Excessive stress, birth defects, lack of exercise, scarcity of healthy food can lead to hormone imbalance and short stature.

Average American height - male and female, is used to measure the body mass index, a parameter which helps estimate the percentage of obesity in the country. For men, having 37.0" waist means having 53.6% 'waist to height ratio'; which implies increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Having 40.2" waist means having 58.3% 'waist to height ratio'; which is a sign of substantially increased risk of heart diseases.

Like American men, average height of an American woman has also increased over years. But there is a whopping increase in average American weight when compared to the increase in height over last forty years. And this is quite serious. Burning some more calories and opting for balanced diet can help correct the body mass index.