Height is a fascinating topic. Some people want to be taller, some want to be shorter, and it is one of our most important physical characteristics.
But how do Canadian women compare to women in other countries regarding their height? And how do they compare to Canadian men?
Here, we look at the average female height in Canada and other countries to give a detailed overview.
Average Female Height In Canada
First, let’s look at the average height of women in Canada.
According to World Data, the average height of Canadian women is currently 1.65 m (5.4 ft). In addition, the average weight of women in Canada is 72.4 kg.
What is the average height of a man in Canada? The average Canadian man is 1.78 m (5.84 ft), so there is a 13 cm difference between men and women.
Average Female Height In the World
How do Canadian women compare to women in other countries regarding height?
The table below shows the average height by country of women from several countries worldwide. All data on average female height worldwide again comes from World Data.
| Country | Average Height of Women |
| Netherlands | 1.70 m |
| Denmark | 1.69 m |
| Iceland | 1.68 m |
| Croatia | 1.67 m |
| Sweden | 1.67 m |
| Germany | 1.66 m |
| Canada | 1.65 m |
| Australia | 1.65 m |
| Ireland | 1.64 m |
| United States | 1.63 m |
| China | 1.63 m |
| Hungary | 1.62 m |
| Qatar | 1.60 m |
| Kenya | 1.59 m |
| Vietnam | 1.58 m |
| Ethiopia | 1.57 m |
| DR Congo | 1.56 m |
| India | 1.55 m |
| Yemen | 1.54 m |
| Timor-Leste | 1.52 m |
As you can see, Canada is not at the top or bottom of the table.
The average female height across the world differs by about 18 cm from the tallest to the shortest. Canada is in the upper half of the table.
Wikipedia also has some good stats on human height by country if you are interested in finding out more about heights in Canada and other countries.
Factors Influencing Height
Several factors have an impact on the height of an individual. Some of these are factors that can be controlled while others cannot.
Genetic Makeup
The first factor is the genetic makeup of a person. Quite simply, some people are naturally taller than others.
If they live the same lifestyle and have the same diet, some people will always be taller because of their DNA.
Overall, your DNA is the biggest determinant of height. This is why taller people tend to have taller children.
But it is not the only factor.
People tend to keep growing until about 18 years old, and various other factors can impact the height they reach.
Nutrition
Nutrition is one of the most important factors in determining height.
Young people who do not get adequate nutrition in their diets, including all the required vitamins, calcium and protein, may see their growth being restricted.
Medical Conditions
Sometimes a person’s height is affected by a medical condition like an infectious disease. It can also be affected by genetic conditions like Down Syndrome.
Activity Levels
Young people who exercise regularly are likely to have stronger, healthier bones. This can have an impact on their growth and development, including height.
Sleep
Sleep is another potential factor that could impact height. Sleep promotes growth in young people because the body releases hormones during sleep that it needs to grow.
As such, a healthy lifestyle that involves getting enough sleep could play a role in height.
Social Factors
With the above factors in mind, it is easy to see how other factors can also impact height. For example, income could be said to have an impact on height.
A higher income often leads to better education, healthcare, and nutrition. As a result, it can also impact height.
The Relationship Between Height and Weight
Taller people tend to be heavier than shorter people, with all else equal. Short people can be heavier than tall people.
However, generally, the taller a person is, the heavier they will be.
The relationship can be seen in Body Mass Index (BMI). This considers a person’s height and weight to determine if they are a healthy weight overall.
Body Height FAQs
Read on for some answers to common questions about body height:
What is the average Canadian male height?
The average height of Canadian males is currently 1.78 m (5.84 ft). This places them in the upper half of the table of average male height by country.
Are Canadians very tall?
Canadians are not particularly tall when looking at the average height, nor are they particularly short. Canadians are in the upper section of the table in terms of average height, both for men and women. Women in the Netherlands are currently the tallest in the world on average.
What is considered short for a woman?
There is no recognized height at which a woman is considered short. In Canada, a woman below the average height of 1.65 m (5.4 ft) could be considered short, but about 1.52 m (5 ft) or under is more likely to be considered short for a woman.
Conclusion
Women in Canada are taller than in some countries worldwide but shorter than in others.
However, there is not a huge amount of difference. Some women are taller than others, and from the tallest to the shortest average height, there is only a difference of about 18 cm.
While genetics is the most important factor in determining an individual’s height, other factors can affect the height of children and teenagers as they grow up.
As such, young people must get a good diet and lead a healthy lifestyle to grow to the height they are capable of reaching.
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