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[Uppland]

The average height in Sweden is 181CM for ages between 22-35 and 179CM for the whole adult population. For you yanks and brits that means that 186CM is roughly the regional equivalent to being "6' feet tall". Now I wish I could make it to 186, I think that's a great height but even if my mucles could handle that kind of distraction my proportions couldn't, so I'll settle for 184CM I think.

Anyway the way I figure your height starts to become interesting around 1 standard deviation from the mean, endomorphisme once told me that 1 SD is always 7CM (he even linked some study) so let's see where that leaves us.

Say the average height is 178CM -pretty standard for a western nation, that means that 185CM and above could be considered "tall" and 171 and below is "short". You gotta ask yourself: what is your goal?

If you want to not be considered short anymore then you should aim for 172CM at the very least.

If you want to be average, well that's self explanatory really, just reach at least the average height.

If you want to be tall you gotta reach at least 185CM.

For Sweden (and most of northern europe) those numbers would be: short: 174, average: 181, tall: 188

Thoughts?

[crimsontide]

so avg is 179, though iim pretty sure the number is lower.. i dont trust height polls. people always exaggerate height, and even when measuring height, mistakes are made


175 or so is still a decent height

you're thinking too much about this.

[microman]

1 standard deviation of the mean is medium height. for uk that is 171-185.

however the ideal height for a man is often said to be 180, which would merely be 'above average', even though it isn't tall both 5 11 and 6 1 are pretty similar heights in terms of impact.

[G-Man]

For me aesthetically the mark is 1m81, solid 5'11".  At 1m81 and over you look tall but I understand where you come from.
When I was in the Netherlands, I saw some locals at 180-181cm and even though its probably close to average, they looked below average for that country but only because people tend to focus on the tall ones for comparison.

Regardless, 1m84 is a great height and you'd be consider tall in any country.

[Uppland]

so avg is 179, though iim pretty sure the number is lower.. i dont trust height polls. people always exaggerate height, and even when measuring height, mistakes are made


175 or so is still a decent height

you're thinking too much about this.

Swedish numbers are very legit trust me, sure 175CM is decent.

For me aesthetically the mark is 1m81, solid 5'11".  At 1m81 and over you look tall but I understand where you come from.
When I was in the Netherlands, I saw some locals at 180-181cm and even though its probably close to average, they looked below average for that country but only because people tend to focus on the tall ones for comparison.

Regardless, 1m84 is a great height and you'd be consider tall in any country.

You went to the netherlands, were people as tall as they say?

[G-Man]

Ya, I was there only 2 days and saw a few 6'6" guys.  Girls are tall and slim as well, its common to see 1m72 and they all bike so they are in shape!

[Uppland]

Girls between 170-180 is very common here as well.

[Alittletooshort]

I´ve been to Sweden and to the Netherlands and I can say that the people in Sweden didn´t seem to be taller than where I am from. The average is only 1cm higher so it´s not really noticable, I felt quit average in Stockholm.
It was different in the Netherlands though, the people there are huuge I felt really short. 190 is a very common height there, I felt like every second guy was that height.
 I noticed the same phaenomenon as in the Netherlands when I stayed in Croatia, we stayed in Split and Dubrovnik (Kingslanding in Game of Thrones is filmed there  ) , Dubrovnik felt quit similar to Amsterdam in terms height. It´s only a personal observation so I don´t have anything to back this up.
If I was you I´d go for 6cm´s what would bring you to 185-186 (your morning height is almost 180 right?), a good posture will do the rest for you then. We focus too much about numbers, no one will ever notice the difference between 185 and 186 anyways.

[Del]

The average height in Sweden is 181CM for ages between 22-35 and 179CM for the whole adult population. For you yanks and brits that means that 186CM is roughly the regional equivalent to being "6' feet tall". Now I wish I could make it to 186, I think that's a great height but even if my mucles could handle that kind of distraction my proportions couldn't, so I'll settle for 184CM I think.

Anyway the way I figure your height starts to become interesting around 1 standard deviation from the mean, endomorphisme once told me that 1 SD is always 7CM (he even linked some study) so let's see where that leaves us.

Say the average height is 178CM -pretty standard for a western nation, that means that 185CM and above could be considered "tall" and 171 and below is "short". You gotta ask yourself: what is your goal?

If you want to not be considered short anymore then you should aim for 172CM at the very least.

If you want to be average, well that's self explanatory really, just reach at least the average height.

If you want to be tall you gotta reach at least 185CM.

For Sweden (and most of northern europe) those numbers would be: short: 174, average: 181, tall: 188

Thoughts?

I don't know if this sounds presumptuous, but 181cm is 5'11 and that's tall in most countries and averagish-tall in tall countries. To top that, you're going to add just 3cm. At that height, why do you care so much about 3cm?

[Uppland]

I don't know if this sounds presumptuous, but 181cm is 5'11 and that's tall in most countries and averagish-tall in tall countries. To top that, you're going to add just 3cm. At that height, why do you care so much about 3cm?

No mate I am 178CM and I plan to add 6CM.

[maximize]

I think if your goal is to become "interesting" and you are already average height, there are better ways to accomplish that than cutting your legs up, being disabled for months, risking permanent pain/disability, and spending $10-100+ thousand doing it.

Is there really no other way you could see yourself becoming more "interesting"?

By contrast, for us short guys, we are trying to correct a deficiency that we have found no other way of compensating for.

[Uppland]

Don't know exactly what you  mean by "interesting" but I suppose my goal is to reach a respectable height. I'd like to be about 185CM or taller but I'll settle for 184 I think.

[hadrian]

Have you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

[Jeez]

Have you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

Another Scandinavian reporting in. I've been to several European countries. I felt above average height-wise two places, Italy & Great Britain.

Where I live however, I occasionally feel pretty short. On the other hand, when I'm in big boots (3,5cm) + insole (1,5cm) I feel staggering tall! I reckon if being 183 cm in Scandinavia, you'll always be seen as tall.

[Uppland]

Have you ever traveled outside of Scandinavia? It'd be interesting to get a height-conscious Scandinavian's perspective on other countries.

I have boots on the ground experience in Japan, Mexico, and multiple states in the USA. I can vouch for the fact that college environments in the US can be especially brutal. I was just in a rock climbing gym in a university town a few weeks ago. I can attest that at my height I could only be considered above average if you included the foreign student population into the mix. Most domestic guys were in the 183-186 range, and there were multiple guys approaching or exceeding 190. Keep in mind everyone was wearing rock climbing shoes, which have flat soles.

Went on a vacation to Portugal recently and I felt like I was above average. The tallest of the portuguese seemed to be about 185CM, I've been to Frankfurt where I felt like a dwarf but I think it might just have been a bad day. In all the Nordic countries I feel short but not horribly so, I reckon 185 would be a solid height around here. In Brussels, Paris and London I felt average or slightly below.

I dread to visit the lowlands though after what I've heard.

[Taller]

I don't post or stop by as much as I used to, but I felt like doing so today and then felt the need to give my two cents about your comments.

You should never have a bad day just because you're 178 CM. As many of you know,I'm 178-179, and have been to most of Northern Europe and Croatia. I'm also a citizen of one of the Northern European countries. It's been my expirience that at 178-179 CM, there are indeed many ways to more than compensate for what can sometimes be an average or barely bellow average height. Good facial aesthetics go a long way. If you lack those, just being in really good shape, goes a VERY long way, and that's totally within your control.

I used to have "bad days" because of my 178-179 height, especially since a good bit of my family is 190+, but it doesn't bother me anymore because I realized that I have so many other things going for me. I don't particularly like my height, and it's nowhere near my ideal, but people still respect me for the person I am, and I can still be good looking, genuinely confident, and "respectable" at this height, even to 190 CM people.

In the last year and a half, I have studied in multiple countries, obtained scholarships to do so, gotten into really good physical shape (which caused really good facial aesthetics I didn't even know I had to shine through), I've learned salsa dancing (I like Latin gals) and I've gotten pretty good at playing the guitar. People of all heights respect me and I've learned to judge people much more by their attitudes, character, drive, and accomplishments than by their heights. I agree that taller looks better, but it's by no means the only way to look good and I don't think people care nearly as much as you seem to think (and I too seemed to think) they do.

I don't see why 178 isn't a "respectable" height. I see people who are a lot more successful in life than I am, in their early 20's (also my age range), and not as good looking, at only 174-175ish in height.

Your character makes MUCH more difference than anything else in life including height. Go explore the world and enjoy life. The super successful 174-175 guys I mentioned are all ridiculously charismatic and charming. But many of them weren't naturally this way. They learnt to be and live great lives as the result of their efforts. Hang around these types of people and learn from them. And trust me that, at 178, your height shouldn't be an issue.

If you dislike your height (I still dislike my height as I've stated before), and you can safely change  it, and the pain and expense is worth it to you, then by all means go for it. I don't see why not. You only have one life so why not live it in the body of your dreams. But I disagree that 178 isn't a respectable height and I find it sad that one can have bad days just because of being 178. I say this fully regretting that I too once had many depressed/bad days because of my height, and I wish I could get that time back. But, for me, I have decided not to look back too much, and instead focus on the things that are easier to work on, and life has felt so, so much better. I only say this because I don't want you to lose so much of your youth being depressed about your height like I did. I'm still young though and I'm glad I'm in a better place. Hopefully you'll get there too. I thought the only solution was LL and now I see that it's not. I might still do LL because I'd like to live my one life at my ideal height (also 185-188) and my proportions can definitely handle it, but it's not a necessity anymore and is far from first on my priority list.

There's so much to enjoy in life. Don't let dissatisfaction with your 178cm height keep you from it. You'll really regret it one day if you do. Wishing you well mate.

[Jeez]

I don't post or stop by as much as I used to, but I felt like doing so today and then felt the need to give my two cents about your comments.

You should never have a bad day just because you're 178 CM. As many of you know,I'm 178-179, and have been to most of Northern Europe and Croatia. I'm also a citizen of one of the Northern European countries. It's been my expirience that at 178-179 CM, there are indeed many ways to more than compensate for what can sometimes be an average or barely bellow average height. Good facial aesthetics go a long way. If you lack those, just being in really good shape, goes a VERY long way, and that's totally within your control.

I used to have "bad days" because of my 178-179 height, especially since a good bit of my family is 190+, but it doesn't bother me anymore because I realized that I have so many other things going for me. I don't particularly like my height, and it's nowhere near my ideal, but people still respect me for the person I am, and I can still be good looking, genuinely confident, and "respectable" at this height, even to 190 CM people.

In the last year and a half, I have studied in multiple countries, obtained scholarships to do so, gotten into really good physical shape (which caused really good facial aesthetics I didn't even know I had to shine through), I've learned salsa dancing (I like Latin gals) and I've gotten pretty good at playing the guitar. People of all heights respect me and I've learned to judge people much more by their attitudes, character, drive, and accomplishments than by their heights. I agree that taller looks better, but it's by no means the only way to look good and I don't think people care nearly as much as you seem to think (and I too seemed to think) they do.

I don't see why 178 isn't a "respectable" height. I see people who are a lot more successful in life than I am, in their early 20's (also my age range), and not as good looking, at only 174-175ish in height.

Your character makes MUCH more difference than anything else in life including height. Go explore the world and enjoy life. The super successful 174-175 guys I mentioned are all ridiculously charismatic and charming. But many of them weren't naturally this way. They learnt to be and live great lives as the result of their efforts. Hang around these types of people and learn from them. And trust me that, at 178, your height shouldn't be an issue.

If you dislike your height (I still dislike my height as I've stated before), and you can safely change  it, and the pain and expense is worth it to you, then by all means go for it. I don't see why not. You only have one life so why not live it in the body of your dreams. But I disagree that 178 isn't a respectable height and I find it sad that one can have bad days just because of being 178. I say this fully regretting that I too once had many depressed/bad days because of my height, and I wish I could get that time back. But, for me, I have decided not to look back too much, and instead focus on the things that are easier to work on, and life has felt so, so much better. I only say this because I don't want you to lose so much of your youth being depressed about your height like I did. I'm still young though and I'm glad I'm in a better place. Hopefully you'll get there too. I thought the only solution was LL and now I see that it's not. I might still do LL because I'd like to live my one life at my ideal height (also 185-188) and my proportions can definitely handle it, but it's not a necessity anymore and is far from first on my priority list.

There's so much to enjoy in life. Don't let dissatisfaction with your 178cm height keep you from it. You'll really regret it one day if you do. Wishing you well mate.

Amen. Extremely well put. Your post should be stickied!

People are always looking for excuses. Our brain is truly trying to f'ck us all. Whether it's height or looks ++. There's always room for improvement.

[hadrian]

Went on a vacation to Portugal recently and I felt like I was above average. The tallest of the portuguese seemed to be about 185CM, I've been to Frankfurt where I felt like a dwarf but I think it might just have been a bad day. In all the Nordic countries I feel short but not horribly so, I reckon 185 would be a solid height around here. In Brussels, Paris and London I felt average or slightly below.

I dread to visit the lowlands though after what I've heard.

Yeah and I do think that they still put a lot of emphasis on height as well, I was looking up celebrities in the Netherlands and the man voted sexiest in the country is 198cm tall(Arie Boomsma). Which goes to show that an impressive height is relative to the average of the region and it doesn't seem like there is some sort of glass ceiling for this, like some would have you believe.


I don't blame you for wanting to be able to stomp around the Schengen zone and feel solid while doing it. Does it bother you enough to consider moving? Despite what I say about the US I'm sure we're not as tall as you guys. You would be fine here, probably similar to how you felt in the UK.



I hear Baltic people are tall, is this true?

[Sweden]

Everyone is getting taller almost everywhere in Europe.

I was recently visiting Dr Betz patients and when walking around in the city I felt somehow insufficient. All the teens are taller - almost.

I'm strongly considering femurs for 5 safe cm, making me 184cm tall. I'm now confirmed 179cm tall and like Uppland says, it's just not enough here in Sweden.

With shoes I'm 182/183, but everyone else are wearing shoes too....

[MRbones]

bets is a bad choice Sweden.

guitch is a much better option.

[Uppland]

Yeah and I do think that they still put a lot of emphasis on height as well, I was looking up celebrities in the Netherlands and the man voted sexiest in the country is 198cm tall(Arie Boomsma). Which goes to show that an impressive height is relative to the average of the region and it doesn't seem like there is some sort of glass ceiling for this, like some would have you believe.


I don't blame you for wanting to be able to stomp around the Schengen zone and feel solid while doing it. Does it bother you enough to consider moving? Despite what I say about the US I'm sure we're not as tall as you guys. You would be fine here, probably similar to how you felt in the UK.



I hear Baltic people are tall, is this true?

Obviously people taller than 195CM will always dwarf me more or less but that is to be expected, after all. Surely Holland is a scary place but at the end of the day it is just one place. The difference when travelling just across the english channel or a few miles south to France is quite staggering. All I can really ask for is a height that isn't objectively short and suitable for a young adult, in essence respectable or at least decent really is what I'm looking for.

Sweden might not be for everyone (the weather certainly isn't all that hospitable) but I still want to spend most of my life here. As any young person I would also like to live a few years abroad, the US seems like a lovely country. Maybe I'll buy an apartment somewhere sunny like San Francisco or something.

Sorry I wouldn't know about the baltic people but statistically they hover around 180 I think. I do have a recent anecdote in case you're interested. Just got back from a few days in Norway and surprisingly the majority of men seemed to be around my height plus or minus a few CM. I saw a lot of people around 185 but fewer men above 190 than below 175.

@Taller thank you for a well written and thought out responce. You really help to put things in perspective.

@Sweden I doubt people will get much taller honestly but it is true that 179CM is a bit short here. I feel like most people are at least 180-190 with a large cluster around the middle. In my opinion proportions are just as important as height though, are you sure yours could handle another 5CM?

[YellowSpike]

I don't post or stop by as much as I used to, but I felt like doing so today and then felt the need to give my two cents about your comments.

You should never have a bad day just because you're 178 CM. As many of you know,I'm 178-179, and have been to most of Northern Europe and Croatia. I'm also a citizen of one of the Northern European countries. It's been my expirience that at 178-179 CM, there are indeed many ways to more than compensate for what can sometimes be an average or barely bellow average height. Good facial aesthetics go a long way. If you lack those, just being in really good shape, goes a VERY long way, and that's totally within your control.

I used to have "bad days" because of my 178-179 height, especially since a good bit of my family is 190+, but it doesn't bother me anymore because I realized that I have so many other things going for me. I don't particularly like my height, and it's nowhere near my ideal, but people still respect me for the person I am, and I can still be good looking, genuinely confident, and "respectable" at this height, even to 190 CM people.

In the last year and a half, I have studied in multiple countries, obtained scholarships to do so, gotten into really good physical shape (which caused really good facial aesthetics I didn't even know I had to shine through), I've learned salsa dancing (I like Latin gals) and I've gotten pretty good at playing the guitar. People of all heights respect me and I've learned to judge people much more by their attitudes, character, drive, and accomplishments than by their heights. I agree that taller looks better, but it's by no means the only way to look good and I don't think people care nearly as much as you seem to think (and I too seemed to think) they do.

I don't see why 178 isn't a "respectable" height. I see people who are a lot more successful in life than I am, in their early 20's (also my age range), and not as good looking, at only 174-175ish in height.

Your character makes MUCH more difference than anything else in life including height. Go explore the world and enjoy life. The super successful 174-175 guys I mentioned are all ridiculously charismatic and charming. But many of them weren't naturally this way. They learnt to be and live great lives as the result of their efforts. Hang around these types of people and learn from them. And trust me that, at 178, your height shouldn't be an issue.

If you dislike your height (I still dislike my height as I've stated before), and you can safely change  it, and the pain and expense is worth it to you, then by all means go for it. I don't see why not. You only have one life so why not live it in the body of your dreams. But I disagree that 178 isn't a respectable height and I find it sad that one can have bad days just because of being 178. I say this fully regretting that I too once had many depressed/bad days because of my height, and I wish I could get that time back. But, for me, I have decided not to look back too much, and instead focus on the things that are easier to work on, and life has felt so, so much better. I only say this because I don't want you to lose so much of your youth being depressed about your height like I did. I'm still young though and I'm glad I'm in a better place. Hopefully you'll get there too. I thought the only solution was LL and now I see that it's not. I might still do LL because I'd like to live my one life at my ideal height (also 185-188) and my proportions can definitely handle it, but it's not a necessity anymore and is far from first on my priority list.

There's so much to enjoy in life. Don't let dissatisfaction with your 178cm height keep you from it. You'll really regret it one day if you do. Wishing you well mate.

Excellent post, Taller. Agreed on all fronts.