• Question: if your dad is small and your mum is small can you be tall or is it genetically chosen that you are supposed to be small aswell?

    Asked by allie1999 to Anouk, Chris, Judith, Leisha, Seyyed on 18 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Judith Sleeman

      Judith Sleeman answered on 18 Jun 2012:

      Usually, yes, you will also be on the small side. Child health experts have a chart that calculates how tall you’re likely to be, based on your parent’s heights, but it’s all really approximate. Lots of genes influence height: there isn’t just a ‘tall’ gene and a ‘small’ gene so it’s hard to tell. When my son was born, the health visitor predicted he’d be about 5’6″ tall (sorry mostly metric, but still think of height in inches!) which is a little taller than me or his Dad. He’s hoping he’s somehow managed to pick up some ‘tallness’ from my Dad, as he’s nearly 6′. Only time will tell….

      And what’s wrong with being wee?

    • Photo: Chris Kettle

      Chris Kettle answered on 19 Jun 2012:

      You can be tall but it is likely you’ll be “wee” as Judith put it.

      Interestingly though – Chinese and Japense people tend to be small. However, in the 70’s and 80’s there was a mass migration to the United states and the first generation children born there (to “chinese” parents living in the US) were actually very tall – some going on to be basket ball players. This has shown scientists that the environment (and diet) can have an effect on height too.

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