Estimate your child adult height using the validated mid-parental height formula. Supports both centimetres and feet/inches with a ±10 cm probability range.
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Generated at traitgen.com, Free genetics education. Not medical advice.
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⚠️ Educational only. Probability estimates based on genetic models, not medical advice.
Average human height has been increasing by roughly 1 cm per decade over the past century, largely due to improvements in nutrition and reduction of childhood disease , a phenomenon called the secular trend in height.
Adult height is approximately 80% heritable, controlled by over 700 identified genetic variants. The remaining 20% is influenced by nutrition, sleep quality, and general health during the growth years.
For boys: (Mother + Father + 13 cm) ÷ 2
For girls: (Mother + Father − 13 cm) ÷ 2
This formula estimates the genetic height target with a ±10 cm range covering 95% of outcomes for those parents.
Height is influenced by thousands of common genetic variants, each contributing a tiny effect. GWAS studies have identified over 3,000 variants. No single gene determines height , it is the cumulative effect of inherited combinations that sets the genetic ceiling.
Adequate protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D are critical during growth years. Deep sleep is equally important , the majority of human growth hormone is released during slow-wave sleep. Chronic illness or malnutrition can cause a child to fall below their genetic height potential.
Girls typically stop growing by age 15-17, about 2-3 years after puberty begins. Boys by age 17-19. Growth plates at the ends of long bones fuse at the close of puberty, after which further height increase is not possible.
The mid-parental height formula is a validated paediatric tool for estimating genetic height potential. For boys: (mother's height + father's height + 13 cm) divided by 2. For girls: (mother's height + father's height minus 13 cm) divided by 2. The result carries a margin of approximately ±10 cm.
The formula correctly predicts adult height within ±8 cm in most cases for people who grow up with adequate nutrition and healthcare. Untreated growth hormone deficiency, very early or late puberty, and chronic nutritional deficits can cause significant deviations.
Nutrition helps a child reach their genetic potential but cannot typically exceed it. Children with optimal nutrition and sleep tend to reach or approach their genetic ceiling. Genes set the maximum; environment determines how close a child gets to it.
No. This is an educational estimation tool only. For clinical growth concerns, tracking against WHO or CDC growth charts with a paediatrician is the appropriate approach. A bone age X-ray can precisely estimate remaining growth potential.