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[Uppland]

I'm interested in median height rather than average. Anyone with a slight grasp on statistics will tell you that the average can be very misleading and that the median number might give a better idea of how tall most people actually are. For example:

The average of 1+2+4+8+16+32+64 is roughly 18,1.

The median of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 is 8.

If I was the median height I should feel exactly average since half the male population is literally shorter whilst the other is taller, hence why it's overall a more useful number.

So is there such a thing as median height statistics? I would be very curious to see them and if they might differ much from the average.

[endomorphisme]

height follows a normal distribution, not sure i'm using the appropriates words
As for height, average height and median are exactly the same, within 1 or 2 millimeter

i give you an example

https://www.google.fr/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=-YTrVOK-NInDcJHAgKgD#q=average+height+swiss+conscripts

the first link, page 4

[Uppland]

height follows a normal distribution, not sure i'm using the appropriates words
As for height, average height and median are exactly the same, within 1 or 2 millimeter

If it's always that close then that's all I wanted to know, thanks.

[ItsMyLife]

If it's always that close then that's all I wanted to know, thanks.

Uppland, what you could do is to take in about 100 guys on a dating app. Key their heights into an excel spreadsheet. Find the 50th percentile, that is median. Find the average. I think they are quite close (< 1 cm).

[Uppland]

Uppland, what you could do is to take in about 100 guys on a dating app. Key their heights into an excel spreadsheet. Find the 50th percentile, that is median. Find the average. I think they are quite close (< 1 cm).

I'll trust the official numbers I think, but thanks anyway.

[ItsMyLife]

I'll trust the official numbers I think, but thanks anyway.

Just bear in mind it may be inflated. (though in Asia, it is quite accurate)
How did you find your official numbers from your country??

[endomorphisme]

Just bear in mind it may be inflated. (though in Asia, it is quite accurate)
How did you find your official numbers from your country??

Average heights in Europe are not inflated.

Sweden is one of the tallest country in the world, i said country, not a tribe like the dinkas who are very tall, or the dinaric alps which is known for being the tallest region in the world, but it's not a country.

According to a statistic on wikipedia, the average height for young swedish is 181.5 cm, but maybe uppland has more recent datas?
The tallest people are the dutch who average 183 cm, they are very tall, 25 % of young men are 188 cm or taller, in sweden it is 15 to 20 %.

Uppland, height percentiles follow this rule:

x is the average

x=50th percentile
x+1=55 th
x+2=60 th
x+3=65
x+4=70
x+5=75
x+6=80
x+7=85
x+9=90
x+11=95

so you don't need to be 10 cm to be tall

[Uppland]

Average heights in Europe are not inflated.

Sweden is one of the tallest country in the world, i said country, not a tribe like the dinkas who are very tall, or the dinaric alps which is known for being the tallest region in the world, but it's not a country.

According to a statistic on wikipedia, the average height for young swedish is 181.5 cm, but maybe uppland has more recent datas?
The tallest people are the dutch who average 183 cm, they are very tall, 25 % of young men are 188 cm or taller, in sweden it is 15 to 20 %...

Very informative endomorphisme, thank you. I would add that height statistics are collected through different methods and it's not uncommon for countries to have several reports with somewhat different results. for example I believe there was a danish survey that resulted in an average height of almost 183CM but it was self-reported, another survery that actually measured people gave an average of 181CM -similar to Sweden.

@Itsmylife I downloaded an excel chart from the swedish bureau of statistics (SCB in swedish). I'm having troubles attaching it but I'll give you a quick rundown:

Males 16-19 ---------179,7CM------------Error margain----------± 0,7CM
Women 16-19--------166,6CM------------Error margain----------± 0,6CM

Males 20-29----------180,9CM------------Error margain----------± 0,6CM
Women 20-29--------166,9CM------------Error margain----------± 0,5CM

[ItsMyLife]

thank you for the data. it confirms my thoughts all along that for Scandinavia, the average height is about 180 and not 182/183.I will still be above average there 

[Uppland]

thank you for the data. it confirms my thoughts all along that for Scandinavia, the average height is about 180 and not 182/183.I will still be above average there 

Average for young men is about 181CM but you'll feel pretty short at that height a lot of the times.

[ItsMyLife]

Average for young men is about 181CM but you'll feel pretty short at that height a lot of the times.

Don't worry so much I saw a Danish study and a Scandinavian study (cant remember the country) as well as USA study on white young men.

The younger generation is the same height as the older generation (ie, 20-30 year olds vs 30-40 year olds, vs 40-50 year olds)

it is heartening that the height has somewhat stalled........ ie, it is wrong to say the younger generation is taller.

this makes sense, since those countries are at the "peak" or "plateau" with high average heights. and also, nutritional status has been good for the past few decades already.

[Uppland]

Yeah thank god for that. I actually asked my doctor about this and he said there were two main factors in adult height: genetics and nutrition.

Genetics is by far the most import, it's a complex process involving up to 20 different genes that interact in unknown ways.

Nutrition is only an issue if you're malnourished, no one in Sweden has been malnourished for generations so basically we've reached our potential more or less.

[joax]

That's very interesting, how each 1 cm increases the percentile by approx 5%. Reminds us that we should fight for every cm we can

[joax]

Ok guys, so what about the mode? Is it safe to say that the mode = the mean and = the median?

[tallerbetter]

Ok guys, so what about the mode? Is it safe to say that the mode = the mean and = the median?

No, no, it isn't the same. The mode is the height which is most repeated. This is completely hazardous.

[Uppland]

That's very interesting, how each 1 cm increases the percentile by approx 5%. Reminds us that we should fight for every cm we can

Notice how the returns diminish after the 85th percentile, it's innefficient to lengthen beyond that.