Did I do most of my growing before my first period? How long can I expect to continue growing?
Q.
Hi, I am a fifteen year old girl, I weigh around 60 kilos and I am about 170 cm tall. My mother is about five foot five; my father is around 184cm tall. I have always been among the tallest of my friends and classmates, but now they are all catching up to me! I have always wanted to be tall.I read somewhere on this website that most girls do most of their growing before their first period. I don't have the exact figure, but before my first period I think I was probably around 164 or 165 cm tall. In the past year I have grown about a centimetre or two.
My questions are, firstly, would you say from the above figures that I did most of my growing before my first period? Secondly, can I expect to continue growing at a rate of around a centimetre or two per year, and for how long? I have heard that an x-ray of the wrist or back can demonstrate how much growing we have left. Is this true, and would it be reasonable to ask for such an x-ray? And finally, would following a dietician-approved vegetarian diet impact in any way on my growth, height-wise? Thank you so much.
A.
Hello and thanks for writing in with your interesting questions.Your height is predetermined by your genetic make up, that is how tall your mum and dad are. This is something that you can't change! However your diet and lifestyle can also play a part in your body height and weight. To grow you need healthy bones, a healthy eating plan, regular exercise and plenty of rest. These ingredients help your body reach its full potential. I have included a website below that you may find useful about bones and growth.
The average girl continues to grow approximately 2-3 years after beginning puberty and girls can grow up to 11 cms a year and a further 1-2 cms after the main growth spurt, but this varies depending on your own body schedule (source).
An x-ray of your back would most likely show how your bones are developing and I suggest you speak to your doctor because they can assess you physically and explore options with you. Having a healthy eating plan provided to you by a dietician would be fine to follow because maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital during this time of growth.
I hope this helps and take care.
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Links
TeensHealth - Bones, muscles and jointsTeen Health - Puberty: what it looks like
Last modified: 1st August 2008
