Height and Mathematical Constants

In my personal opinion, the ideal height for humans is around 1.77 m for men and around 1.65 m for women. These two numbers are both related to two famous mathematical constants: one is the circular ratio $\pi$, and the other is the natural constant $e$. If you simply take the square root of these two constants, you will get the ideal heights for men and women respectively ($\sqrt{\pi} \approx 1.77$, $\sqrt{e} \approx 1.65$).

Chinese people still have a certain gap from this ideal height. According to the “Report on Nutrition and Chronic Disease Status of Chinese Residents (2020)”, the average height of Chinese adult men aged 18–44 is 1.697 m, and the average height of adult women is 1.58 m. If only 19-year-olds are counted, the average height of men is about 1.757 m and that of women is about 1.635 m, which is already very close to the ideal height. This shows that the height of the younger generation is increasing, and given enough time, it is entirely possible to reach the ideal height.

Looking at countries around the world, the average height of British men is about 1.78 m and that of British women is about 1.65 m, which is the closest to the ideal height. The average height of American men is about 1.75 m and that of American women is about 1.62 m, which does not reach the ideal height. Moreover, the growth of average height in the US has basically stagnated in the past 50 years, which may be related to the fact that the US is an immigrant country. Continuous immigration of people with different heights from all over the world has stabilized the average height of Americans.

The factors that have the greatest impact on height growth, ranked from largest to smallest influence, are genetic basis, nutritional supply, hormones and sleep, exercise status and health conditions. Among them, genetics determines the upper limit of potential, and acquired factors determine what percentage of that upper limit can be reached. The core of foods that help height growth is the combination of three core nutrients: calcium, high-quality protein, and vitamin D, supplemented by a small amount of auxiliary nutrients.

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of Chinese people’s living standards, a glass of milk and 100 grams of meat per day has become the standard for many families, so it is not surprising that the average height has increased. The only factor hindering height development may be the popularity of smartphones. Nowadays, children stare at their phones every day, which reduces their exercise. This is not only unfavorable to height growth, but also leads to myopia and increases the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes.