Nutrition, hormones, gender, exercise and diseases affect children's height development.
Besides genetic factors, a healthy diet, appropriate exercise combined with scientific rest helps children increase their height effectively.
Hereditary
Genes are not the only factor that predicts a person's height. In some cases, children can be much taller than their parents and other relatives.
Currently, there is no way to know exactly how tall a child will be when he or she grows up, but it is possible to make an estimate based on the height of the parents. The calculation is to add the height of the father and mother, divide by 2, then subtract 7.5 cm if the child is a girl or keep the same value if it is a boy.
Nutrition
A proper diet, including total calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals, can maximize a child's growth potential.
Calcium is needed for bones, teeth, nerve, muscle and cardiovascular function, and to prevent blood clotting. Children need calcium and vitamin D to prevent rickets. Green leafy vegetables, dairy products such as milk, yogurt, soy, and cheese are rich in calcium.
Many vitamins play a distinct role in a child’s growth. Specifically, vitamin D helps strengthen bones and improves calcium absorption. Vitamins C and E help boost immunity.
Fat provides energy, supports the functioning of organs and metabolism in the body. Children 2-3 years old should have a total daily fat intake of 30-35% of calories, this figure for children 4-18 years old is 25-35%. Cooking oil, meat, fish, nuts contain healthy fats.
Along with fat, carbohydrates provide energy, develop muscles and promote digestive health. In addition to food, water is necessary for many body activities, helping children develop. In addition to filtered water and milk, children can drink fruit juice to get more vitamins and minerals.
Appropriate exercise regimen also helps children increase their height. Photo: Freepik
Sex
Boys generally grow slower than girls due to differences in puberty milestones. However, adult males tend to be an average of 14 cm taller than females.
Hormones
During puberty, hormones are essential to regulate body growth. These include thyroid hormones, growth and sex hormones such as testosterone and estrogen.
Abnormalities in these hormones can alter overall growth and height. Children with hypothyroidism or pituitary disorders may be shorter than average compared to their parents. Rarely, hormonal disorders cause children to be taller than normal.
Congenital disorders
Certain congenital conditions can affect a child's growth. For example, osteochondrodysplasia is a genetic abnormality of the development of connective tissue, bone, or cartilage. The syndrome causes short stature and uneven growth of the trunk and limbs.
Another congenital disorder that causes delayed puberty and failure to reach full height is Turner syndrome. Unlike osteochondrodysplasia, Turner syndrome does not run in families.
Motor
Regular exercise contributes to height growth. Children should maintain at least 30 minutes to an hour of moderate physical activity such as swimming, jumping rope, hanging on a horizontal bar... every day.
Le Nguyen (According to Healthline )
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