The majority of Asian people are of average height, including the Filipino people. As you may notice when you go to the Philippines or if you encounter a Filipino, most of them are of medium height, and it is rare to find a tall Filipino. Other factors contribute to Filipino height, including diet and genetics.
It may come as a surprise for several people because the Filipinos we see on TV are tall. Generally, an average Filipino is 156.41cm or 5 feet 1.57 inches tall. A Filipino man has an average height of 5’4-5’8 ft. However, when it comes to a Filipino woman, the height is approximately 4’11-5’3 ft.
Filipinos are not generally tall. They are of medium or average height. If you wish to know more details regarding what is considered tall in the Philippines or if you want to know more about Filipino heights, I have gathered details for you to read. Check more below.
Who Is The Tallest Filipino?
Raul Dillo is currently the tallest recorded Filipino. He stood 7’3 ft. and was a former actor and basketball player. During his MBA stint, Raul Dillo played for the San Juan Knights but could not have good quality minutes.
What’s Considered Tall For Women In The Philippines?
In general, an average Filipino is 156.41cm or 5’1 feet. However, when it comes to women, the average Filipino woman is about 4’11-5’3 feet.
Average Height Of A Filipino Man
The standard height of a male Filipino is about 5’3 feet. The average height of Filipino men is only one inch shorter than the average height of other Southeast Asian men. Therefore, it is actually safe to conclude that 5’7 is considered to be tall in the Philippines.
Are 5’7 feet Considered Tall In The Philippines?
5’7 feet people who are above the average height of Filipino men. Having a 5’7 height is considered tall in the Philippines. However, if you are a woman of a height of 5’7, you are considered very tall. Filipino women with a height of 5’7 are already considered tall but are considered below average for males.
Are Filipino People Getting Shorter or Higher?
In 2003, the average height of a Filipino man between the ages of 20 to 39 was about 5’4 feet. But in 2013, ten years later, the average was still in the same range of 5’4 feet. Therefore, the average height of Filipino men has not changed much over the years. There is no big difference even for women. The standard height of Filipino women aged 20 to 39 in 2003 was 4’11 feet and 5’6 feet in the year 2013.
This statistic came when the Philippine Senate reconsidered the height of military and police recruits. However, it also had tangible implications around stunted growth due to good health programs and a lack of nutrition. Thus, these figures helped the government make efforts to improve the health of the country.
Making Sense Of The Height Premium
Studies across fields from evolutionary psychology to economic history support the view that height is actually beneficial in many ways. For instance, taller people have higher salaries and are more likely to have a successful overall career. Several studies in evolutionary psychology and sociobiology describe this “height premium” as an evolutionary benefit. However, these explanations do not account for the particular way in which the meaning of height changes from person to person or also from country to country.
Cultural history can provide a context that helps us understand the meaning of height. For instance, a preference for tallness can be found in some Filipino indigenous, perhaps pre-colonial epics, but the American colonial era can definitely be identified as a time when height really became premium.
With the exception of the introduction of basketball and the inclusion of height as a measure of child health, Americans demanded height for military and civil jobs.
However, height preferences continued after the American era. Though stories of success despite shortness were celebrated as well, tallness was sought after and ultimately commercialized. In the 1970s, a beauty queen once said, “Iba na ang matangkad” Which means it’s different if you’re tall! When the Senate of the Philippines passed a bill to eliminate the height requirements of firemen and police officers in the year 2012, the former president of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino, voted it.
Tips for growing taller
Staying Active | Playing Sports or Exercising
In addition, you will be taller by performing various physical activities through playing sports and exercising on a daily basis. Some recommended sports are basketball and swimming. In addition, cobra stretches, bridge stretches, and hip flexor growth stretch performed in combination with other exercises on a routine are believed to improve an individual’s growth by 3 inches.
Another option is yoga. It poses to improve your spin-stretching posture and allow you to add at least a few inches to your height. A good but less demanding exercise is deep breathing. This not only flushes your body with fresh oxygen and flushes away stiffness and pain but also helps you grow naturally. Some other yoga poses are tree pose, triangle pose, cat pose, and sun salutations. Youtube has lots of video tutorials for you to check on!
Having A Balanced Diet
Eating a healthy and balanced diet provides the body with the nutrients to reach its maximum height. Ensure that your daily calorie intake comes from whole grains, legumes, nuts, fresh fruits & vegetables, and lean proteins while avoiding empty calories from foods such as pizzas, ice cream, and cakes.
In addition, make sure you haven’t run out of many essential nutrients such as zinc. Zinc deficiency can actually stunt growth. Therefore, make sure your diet contains zinc-rich products.
Conclusion | Final Thoughts
Growth hormones have been used to boost the height of absolutely normal children worldwide. There is also limb-extension surgery; some people seem to believe that this is worth the time, pain, and money. But how tall is tall enough? The comparative paradigms brought about by globalization have meant that being tall or average in the Philippines is somehow not enough. One must now be compared to people like athletes and pageant contestants; social and epidemiological peers around the world.