Rising to their Full Height: Indians are Growing Taller

Hyderabad: If you have been wondering how children today are taller than their parents, the reasons could be attributed to clean water, better food, fewer childhood infections, proper care during pregnancy and prompt action taken to address infections.

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) has revised the average height of men and women based on data taken from all over the country.

The average height for Indian men is 5.8 feet (177 cm) and the average height for women is 5.3 feet (162 cm). Earlier, the average height for men was 5.6 feet (171cm) and for women was 5 feet (152 cm).

The decision to revise the average height and weight was taken due to increased intake of nutritional food. For deciding on weight and height, data from the rural as well as the urban areas was considered. Earlier, in 2010 data unlike only urban data was used.

Measurement of height of men and women has been going on at regular intervals since 1975. In the last 100 years, the average height of Indian men increased by 3 cm and of women by 5 cm says, Dr Kiranmayi, chief clinical dietician, Apollo Hospital.

The 2020 panel derived the body weight and height values using data taken from all over India. NIN has increased the average body weight for Indians by 5kg in its recent report. Thus, the average weight for Indian men has been increased from the 60kg in 2010 to 65kg now.

While for Indian women average weight has been increased from 50kg in 2010 to 55kg now. The panel derived the body weight and height values using data taken from all over India including data from National Family Health Survey 4 of 2015-2016, data from the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau for 2015-2016, data as per the WHO report of 2006 to 2007, and data from the Indian Academy of Pediatrics of 2015.

GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS

♦ Earlier, average height for men was 5.6 feet and for women it was 5 feet, according to NIN

♦ Decision to revise the average height and weight was taken due to increased intake of nutritional food

♦ For deciding on weight and height, data from the rural as well as the urban areas was considered

♦ Earlier, in 2010 data unlike only urban data was used

♦ NIN also increased average body weight for Indians by 5kg

Recommended Dietary Allowance

NIN has revised its recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and estimated average requirement (EAR) of nutrition in the 2020 report. The ICMR expert committee has recommended fibre-based energy intake for the first time. They stated that 40 grams per 2000 kilocalories of food consumption are safe.

Other recommondations...

♦ Fat intake for individuals with sedentary, moderate, and heavy activities has been set to 25, 30, and 40 grams per day for men, and 20, 25, and 30 grams per day for women, respectively. In 2010, fat intake for both men and women were common

♦ Carbohydrates intake has been suggested as 100 grams to 130 grams per day for one-year-old and above

♦ Intake limit for common salt or iodine has been kept same at 5 grams per day