As the world gets taller, Indians shrink
Despite economic advancements, the average height of the Indian population has either stagnated or declined. Reports indicate that men and women in certain age groups have experienced a decrease in height, particularly among disadvantaged communities. Factors such as environment, health, and access to healthcare are significant contributors to these trends.
- ▪The average height for Indian men is 165 cm and for women is around 152 cm.
- ▪Men aged 15-25 and 26-50 have seen a decrease in average height by 1.10 cm and 0.86 cm, respectively.
- ▪Women aged 15-25 experienced a decrease of 0.12 cm, with poorer women seeing a sharper decline of 0.57 cm.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Letter from New Delhi A child dressed as Mahatma Gandhi and painted silver to attract passersby begs during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Hyderabad, India, on August 27, 2025. NOAH SEELAM/AFP Despite economic progress, the average height of the Indian population has either stagnated or declined, while globally, people have grown taller. This unequivocal finding emerged from various reports of the National Family Health Survey, conducted since the early 1990s, providing the most comprehensive data on demography, health and nutrition in India. In the country, the average height for men is 165 cm, while for women it is around 152 cm.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Le Monde (EN).
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Le Monde (EN)
