What Does It Mean to Be 5'11" Tall? - Height Analysis

Understanding What It Means to Be 5'11" Tall

Your height represents a unique blend of genetics, nutrition, and other environmental factors influencing growth potential. Standing about 5'11 falls right around average for an American male. But what exactly does this stature say about health outlook and how tall you should be?

Average Height for American Men

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the average height for a U.S. male 20 years and older is:

• 5'9"
• 175.3 cm
• 69.3 inches

So at 5'11", you stand about 2 inches taller than the median. You're on the taller side, but not extremely so compared to peers. Placing in the 75th percentile for height means 75% of other men fall shorter than your stature.

Is 5'11" Considered Tall or Short?

At 5'11", terms like "tall" or "short" don't necessarily apply because you land right around the population average. You exceed 74% of men in height but 26% still stand taller based on the normal distribution spread.

That said, some might consider 5'11" on the tall side simply for surpassing 3/4ths of others. But medically, doctors view 5'11" as within the average range - not meeting definitions for abnormally tall (like 6'5"+) or short (below 5'7").

What Is the Tallest Height at 5'11"?

The tallest fraction of an inch notation at 5'11" would be:

• 5'11 3/4"
• Just shy of 6'0"

Adding the 3/4 inch takes you right up to the next foot marker. The average male stops growing by age 16 at which point peak height gets locked in based on genetics and youth nutrition.

What Is the Shortest at 5'11"?

On the other end of the spectrum, the shortest measurement still qualifying as 5'11" would be:

• 5'11 1/4"

Dropping just a 1/4 inch lower down to 5'11" flat kicks you into a lower height bracket. So 5'11 1/4" clings to the 5'11" designation before crossing under into average range for males.

Is 5'11" Tall for a Teenager?

Standing 5'11" as a male teenager places you on the tall end of normal. The 50th height percentile for a 16-17 year old male falls around:

• 5'8"

So at 5'11", a teenager exceeds over half of peers. Rapid growth during puberty can spur big gains like 4-6 inches in a single year. These youth often continue ascending among the tallest males reaching 6'+.

Is 5'11" Tall for a Woman?

Yes and no. The average U.S. female 20 years and older stands around 5'4". So at 5'11", a woman would be much taller than most other women she encounters daily. However, medically 5'11" doesn't meet definitions for abnormal tall stature in women either. Doctors consider anything above 6'0" unusually tall for an adult female. So a 5'11" female proves taller than nearly all women, landing her in the 99th percentile. But she still falls just shy of crossing over into concerning overgrowth warranting evaluation.

Health Implications of Standing 5'11"

Weight and Body Mass Index at 5'11"

Height and weight combine to calculate body mass index (BMI) representing body fat and health risk. The healthy BMI range spans 18.5 to 24.9. For a 5'11" male, healthy weight spans:

• 132 to 179 pounds

Dropping under 132 pounds risks being underweight and malnutrition. Exceeding 179 pounds trends toward overweight and obesity prompting weight loss.

Lifespan Changes Based on 5'11" Height

Research correlates shorter height in men with slightly increased lifespan compared to average (5'10"). Potential factors explaining why 5'11"trends opposite include:

• Taller people have more cells, which may enable more mutations increasing cancer risk.
• Higher cancer risk from more stem cell divisions to grow taller initially.
• Increased strain on the cardiovascular system to perfuse more tissue mass.

That said, the lifespan difference proves quite small. Proper health maintenance can easily overcome any height-related longevity gaps.

Health Concerns for Men Standing 5'11"

A handful of health conditions correlate more strongly with men towering over average height like 5'11", including:

• Varicose veins - Extra height stresses leg veins more prompting swelling/valves issues.
• Joint issues - Long limbs increase torque raising injury and arthritis risk.

The mildly increased risks associated with being tall fail to raise red flags for doctors though. Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle balance out most height-related concerns.

Growth Factor Impacts on 5'11" Height

Does Ethnicity Influence Height at 5'11"?

Genetics definitely impact final height, and ethnicity relates to the gene pool you inherit. Some racial groups tend to run taller, while others trend a bit shorter. Examples:

• Taller - Dutch, Latvian, Danish, Norwegian
• Shorter - Mexican, Peruvian, Vietnamese, Nepali

On average, northern European descendants (Caucasians) exceed southern European/Latin American groups in height. But plenty of genetic diversity always exists within ethnic backgrounds too.

Does Nutrition Impact Height Reaching 5'11"?

Yes, adequate nutrition remains essential for reaching maximal genetic height potential. Key nutrients that influence growth include:

• Protein - Forms muscle, skin, cartilage and organs.
• Zinc/iron - Enables hormone activation to kickstart puberty.
• Calcium - Mineralizes growing bone.
• Vitamin D - Facilitates calcium absorption for ossification.

Childhood malnutrition blocking critical growth processes commonly results in stunted height. Healthful eating can help offset deficiency impacts to some degree too.

Do Growth Disorders Change Height at 5'11"?

For the majority of men reaching 5'11", normal growth patterns occurred without any disorders present. But in a small subset, atypical development resulted in crossing over into taller or shorter than expected.

Examples of childhood conditions influencing adult stature include:

• Growth hormone excess - Boosts height past genetic potential
• Late puberty - Closes growth plates prematurely
• Chronic disease - Impairs nutrition needed for growth

Growth velocity tracking by pediatricians helps detect any abnormal changes early for evaluation to see if disorders prove present influencing height trajectory.

The Takeaway

Achieving an adult height around 5'11" as a male falls well within normal limits - not too tall or short. The key determinant lies in whether you reached expected mid-parental height based on what both biological mom and dad measure. Fulfilling genetic height potential indicates healthy development.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.