Foods are a great source of nourishment for everybody and act as a prime player in sustenance and growth as well. The provided nutrients fuel your growth hormones which give you your present height. But did you know that some foods make you shorter? Some people do not like the way they look and wonder why they stop getting taller at 13. Have you ever thought about why some of you look shorter than your boyfriend? Certainly, yes! So, let’s see in this article how the height of an individual varies in detail.
1. What causes Short Height?
Before understanding what foods make you shorter, let us first go through the points that cause short height:
- Early puberty: Sometimes the child gains early puberty which makes their bones grow faster compared to others. This may be due to a problem in the Central Nervous System which causes the sexual organs to develop earlier.
- Genetics: A child has a greater possibility of being a short height if any of the parents have a short height. This is due to genetic makeup.
- Constitutional delay of growth: Growth velocity or the growth tempo is dealt with by the constitutional growth delay. Like their bone age may be delayed due to which they enter late puberty. This can be because of malnutrition and genetics.
- Medical reasons: When the growth hormone is deficient, it causes an endocrine disorder.
- Bone diseases: Bone growth is affected by any disease in the bone which affects the growth of an individual like diastrophic dysplasia.
2. Can You get Shorter?
Yes, you can get shorter after a certain age as men lose up to one inch when they reach the age of 30 – 70 while women lose two inches in the same period. This is due to the compression of cartilage present between your joints getting worn out. Also, osteoporosis causes the loss of height with age, a disease in which bones become weak. Most commonly girls stop getting taller at 13 and start getting shorter at 70. (See What height is short?)
3. What can Stunt your Height?
Various factors are responsible to stunt your height:
- Poor nutrition: If a young child lacks nutrition this can hinder growth of the child. Carbonated drinks can also affect your development.
- Sleep: A child’s muscles, tissues, and bones are developed by sleep because while sleeping many hormones that are responsible for growth are released, so lack of sleep can stunt your growth.
- Hormone disorders: During adolescence, a problem in your endocrine system which releases hormones, can stunt your growth.
- Improper sanitation: Bacteria spread due to improper cleaning and sanitation in public places can stunt the growth of kids.
4. Can Food stop Height Growth?
Before we jump into understanding what foods make you shorter, let us see if food can actually stop your height growth. Yes, certain foods can stop the growth of a body because of the lack of nutrients in them. The height of an individual is influenced by hormones and heredity as seen by research. However, nutrition is also of high importance for the growth of an individual, and a lack of nutrients results in a lack of height. Thus, it is a truth that foods make you shorter. (See Should I Count Calories or Carbohydrate Intake?)
5. What Foods make you Shorter?
Certain foods make you shorter when taken in excess thus, affect your growth and stunt your height. Take a look below to know what foods make you shorter:
- Soy: Consuming soy through milk or rice hinders the processing of calcium by the body. Phytic acid found in soy products inhibits the absorption of calcium.
- Soda: Due to the presence of Phosphorus in abundance in soda, bone density and formation impedes which impacts the growth of the body. Also, calories are consumed along with the soda which hampers growth.
- Junk food: Junk food like French fries made of potatoes lack nutritional value which results in slow body growth and a hindrance to the growth of bones. This leads to a short and overweight individual.
- Rice: Rice in excess causes you to consume too many carbohydrates which deprives you of essential nutrients like vitamins and proteins. This results in shorter children.
6. Do Rice make you Shorter?
Your height is affected by the level of your nutrition intake. Rice contains more carbohydrates as compared to proteins. So, overconsumption of rice can shorten your height and stun your overall growth. Rice causes a gain in weight and makes a person lethargic which affects the overall growth of the body. (See What animals eat wheat?)
7. Do Beans make you Short?
No, beans do not make you short, instead, they provide you with vitamin C, folate, and fiber required for the growth of a person. Beans provide energy as they contain carbohydrates and protein. Beans provide iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, and B vitamins essential for the development of a person. (See List of Snacks with No Carbs)
8. Does Sugar affect your Height?
Yes, it affects a child’s growth. Eating a lot of sugar makes you feel that your stomach is full due to which there is a lack of a balanced diet which is highly essential for growth. There will be improper growth of an individual, so cutting down on the intake of sugar is required for healthy growth of the body. (See What is sugar apple fruit?)
9. How do you Shorten your Growth?
The height of a person is not fixed and keeps changing with age. There is no way by which you can make your height shorter. Bone shortening surgery can be performed to get shorter. When the spinal disc is compressed it causes a slight change in the height of a person. If you want to look shorter you can opt for these options:
- Wear flat shoes
- Wear long jackets
- Carry a large purse
10. How do you Stop Getting Taller at 13?
There is no way to stop getting taller at 13. Height is a natural element that can’t be forced to stop. However, most commonly after reaching puberty age, you stop growing taller. (See How tall is average man in Japan?)
11. How can a Girl Stop Growing Taller?
A girl cannot stop growing taller intentionally. But as soon as girls hit puberty, they stop growing at an age of 14 or 15. So, it depends on the timing of puberty that affects growth. After two years of experiencing the menstrual cycle girls reach their maximum growth and stop growing taller. Must read Why it is Not Possible to Change Hereditary Conditions?
12. How do you look Shorter than Your Boyfriend?
You can look shorter than your boyfriend by wearing distinct colored clothes and carrying a purse larger in size. You can grow your hair in length and wear flat sandals or shoes. You can wear cuffed pants or a wide belt over a dress. However, in general scenarios, girls are already shorter compared to men due to the early halt of height growth as compared to boys who can grow until the age of 18-20. (See How tall is 173cm in feet and inches?)
13. Does Exercise Stop Height Growth?
No, exercise does not stop height growth. Exercises like squats help in the development of legs and a uniform body but squats if done with excessive weight can cause damage to the intervertebral fibrocartilage thus leading to a slight decrease in height. Growth hormones are stimulated by exercises like crunches and also increase blood flow. (See Why some people never exercise?)
