How to Grow Taller: What Really Affects a Child’s Height

What decides how tall a child gets

Parents and teens ask how to grow taller because height feels like something you can steer. Some of it you can. Most of it is already set. Here is the split.

Genetics

The AAP says about 60% to 70% of differences in height are set by parents’ height. A large gene study points the same way. In a 2022 study in Nature, researchers looked at 5.4 million people. They found 12,111 common gene variants that account for nearly all the height effect that common variants can explain.

Those two numbers measure different things, so do not mix them up. The AAP figure is about how much of the difference between kids comes from family height. The Nature study counts gene variants. In that study, the variants explained 40% of height differences in people of European ancestry and about 10% to 20% in other ancestries, according to the paper. More work is needed in other groups.

The takeaway on how to grow taller is simple: no single gene, food or habit decides height. Many small gene effects add up. For more on how genes, growth plates and stopping age fit together, see our guide on when guys stop growing.

Puberty timing

Puberty timing changes when a child grows, not just how much. The AAP notes that children who enter puberty earlier often have a growth spurt sooner but may stop growing at a younger age. When puberty starts later, the AAP says it gives the child more time to grow.

Hormones run this process. A 2014 review explains that sex steroids, with estrogen as the key hormone in both boys and girls, control how fast the growth plates work and when they fuse. Genes, hormones and nutrition all shape growth in the teen years. Read more in our growth spurt guide.

What parents can control

If you want to know how to grow taller in a healthy way, start here. You cannot change a child’s genes. You can protect the things that let a child grow the way their body is set to grow. None of these promise extra inches. They support normal growth.

Nutrition

A child who does not get enough food, protein or key nutrients can grow more slowly. The AAP lists poor nutrition and protein or micronutrient deficiency as things that can affect height. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stunting as low height for age. It results from chronic or recurrent undernutrition. The WHO reports that 149 million children under 5 were stunted in 2022.

For most families in the US, supporting normal growth comes down to food that is steady and varied. Offer regular meals with protein, fruits, vegetables, dairy or other calcium foods, and whole grains. Our guides on foods that support growth and milk and height go deeper. If you are weighing a growth gummy, see our pick below. For the bigger picture, read our guide to vitamins for kids.

Sleep

Growth hormone (GH) is released in pulses. In a small study of 14 healthy kids aged 11.3 to 14.1, GH pulses were linked to slow wave sleep, the deepest stage of sleep. That fits the idea that sleep matters for growth.

There is a catch. In the same study, one night of disrupted deep sleep did not alter GH secretion. The sample was small and it tested only one night. So sleep is a good habit for kids, but we cannot say one rough night hurts growth, or that more sleep adds height. Our guide on sleep and growing taller covers this in full.

Activity

Exercise is safe for growing kids and helps bone and muscle, according to a 2019 review. The same review found little proof that any sport changes height. Few trials exist, and the evidence is limited. Move for health and fun, not for inches.

Health conditions and medicines

Some health problems slow growth. MedlinePlus lists chronic diseases, genetic conditions, malnutrition and growth hormone deficiency among the causes of short stature. The chronic diseases it names include celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney disease and hypothyroidism.

Some medicines can matter too. The AAP says stimulant medicines for ADHD and inhaled corticosteroids used for asthma could slow growth in some children. Do not stop a medicine on your own. Ask the prescriber how growth is being watched.

How to tell if a child is growing normally

Before you try any tip on how to grow taller, check how your child is actually growing. Doctors use growth charts. The AAP recommends WHO charts from birth to 2 years and CDC charts from age 2 to 19. The CDC growth charts show percentile curves for US children. The CDC says they are not meant to be the only tool used to diagnose a problem.

• Percentile. A child at the 50th percentile is taller than about half of kids the same age and sex. A steady path along one curve is a good sign.
• Short stature. Doctors commonly use this term when height falls below the third percentile. That is not always a problem. Familial short stature and constitutional delay are normal patterns.
• Crossing lines. The AAP says crossing percentile lines on the growth curve can be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

A rough guess of adult height

The AAP gives a simple formula called mid-parental height. Use inches.

• Boy: (mother’s height + 5 + father’s height) ÷ 2
• Girl: (father’s height minus 5 + mother’s height) ÷ 2

Say a mother is 64 inches and a father is 70 inches. A son would come out at 69.5 inches and a daughter at 64.5 inches. That is only an example. The AAP warns the formula has a margin of error of about 4 inches up or down, so treat it as a rough guide.

Myths and facts about how to grow taller

Search results on how to grow taller are full of quick fixes. Many mix up looking taller with growing taller. Standing up straight is not growth. Bones get longer only at the growth plates near the ends of long bones. The table sums up what the sources show about how to grow taller. This page is general information, so read our medical disclaimer too.

Claim	What the sources show
Stretching makes you taller	We found no source we can cite that shows it adds height. Bones lengthen at the growth plates.
Basketball makes you taller	A review found studies did not show that any sport, including basketball, changed linear growth.
You can grow after puberty	Once growth plates close, a child can no longer grow taller. Late bloomers keep growing longer.
Pills make kids taller	We found no study showing that an over the counter product raises a healthy child’s adult height.
Growth hormone shots are for short kids	Most children with short stature have normal growth hormone levels and will not need injections.

Does stretching make you taller?

No source we can cite shows that stretching adds height. Bones grow longer at the growth plates, and those plates are controlled by hormones, as the 2014 review explains. Stretching is fine for flexibility and comfort. Do not expect it to add inches.

Does basketball make you taller?

Tall kids often play basketball. That does not mean the game made them tall. The 2019 review found that studies did not show that exercise or certain sports, especially basketball and floor gymnastics, changed linear growth.

Can you grow taller after puberty?

No. The AAP says that once a child finishes puberty and the growth plates close, they can no longer grow taller. A teen who looks done may not be. Late bloomers keep growing for longer. Our guide to growth plates shows how this works.

Do pills or supplements make kids taller?

We found no study showing that an over the counter pill, powder or gummy makes a healthy, well fed child taller as an adult. A few trials in short and lean or undernourished children found small gains in growth, such as a 1 year formula trial and a review of zinc for young children in developing countries. The gains were small, the groups were narrow, and neither measured adult height. Growth hormone injections are a medical treatment. MedlinePlus says a provider may discuss them if a child has no or low growth hormone levels. They are not a shortcut for healthy kids.

A supplement may fill a nutrient gap when a child eats a very limited diet. That is different from adding height. Read what growth gummy labels can and cannot say before you buy anything. Our label reading guide helps too. For what each common ingredient does, see our guide to height growth supplements.

When to talk to a pediatrician

If you are unsure how to grow taller or whether growth is on track, your doctor will look at growth over time first. The AAP says the doctor may order a bone age X-ray, usually of the left hand and wrist. MedlinePlus also lists blood tests, such as thyroid tests and a growth hormone stimulation test, to look for a cause. See our growth plates guide to learn what a bone age X-ray shows.

One more note. For a boy with short stature and delayed puberty, a provider may talk about testosterone. MedlinePlus says this is not likely to increase adult height.

FAQ