The age of 12 years is a very meaningful age for children because they experience extraordinary growth at that age. It’s not a matter of gender, but the age of 12 is the golden age for children to increase their growth, especially about increasing their height. Here we will learn how to grow taller fast at 12 years old.
Why should a 12 year old focus on growing taller?
Puberty is a golden period, the most important period that is passed by children, both boys and girls, a period of accelerated physical growth and major physical changes, turning small children into mature adolescents, and then becoming adults over time. The Puberty occurs at different ages between each sex and each individual.
Puberty in girls usually begins at the age of 10 years along with the development of the breasts and the onset of menstruation. Usually, girls’ height changes reach their peak about 2 years after puberty. This is the average age of 12 years. Girls’ growth spurts become faster, and usually stop growing or grow slowly at the age of 16 years.
Meanwhile, boys start puberty 2 years later. If girls are at the age of 10 years, boys usually experience puberty at the age of 12 – 13 years. At puberty, boys begin to change in terms of deeper voice, hair growth on the legs and elsewhere, in their growth will tend to increase at the age of 12 to 15 years. Most boys continue to develop and develop their muscles, and this period of growth will continue until the age of 18.
What is the average height of a 12 year old child?
If you have a 12-year-old child in your home, then you should know if he or she is in a growth spurt or not growing at all. If you don’t see any significant growth in them, then knowing the average height of a 12 year old boy or girl is important so you don’t worry too much about their growth.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that the average 12-year-old boy has a height of 58.7 inches or 149.1 cm. While the average height for girls aged 12 years is 59.4 inches or 151 cm. These are the heights of boys and girls in the 50th percentile when we refer to the respective CDC growth charts.
This means that at the age of 12, girls are taller than boys at the same age. This is because girls have started puberty and boys have not.
This is important to know so that parents know whether their child’s growth is on the right track. While doctors will consider and take attention to other factors such as weight, and the child’s growth pattern from time to time.
How to grow taller at 12?
The age of 12 years is a golden period that is important for every child in preparing for their maximum growth. So here we present some effective ways to increase the height of children aged 12 years so that they reach their maximum growth potential.
1. A balanced diet
One of the fastest ways to grow taller at the age of 12 is to ensure a nutritious diet and proper diet for teenagers. During this growth spurt, nutrition is very important for your teen. So, calories and nutrients are all they need in order to maximize growth during puberty.
What is meant by a balanced diet is a diet that includes 4 groups of important or main nutrients. If you consume more or less than the amount, it can be detrimental to the growth and development of the body.
The four important nutrients that must be consumed in adequate amounts are:
- Proteins. It plays a very important role for growth, it is important for various growths such as muscles, organs, bones, tissues and cartilage in the body, especially during the growth spurt or during puberty. Among the foods that need to be eaten because they are rich in protein are beef, eggs, fish, poultry, nuts, seeds, milk and various other dairy products.
- Fat. Why is fat important for growth? It turns out that fat provides energy for the body and provides tissue-building. Healthy fats are a source of calories needed to support nerve cells and brain function. Among foods rich in healthy fats are fish oil, avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds.
- Carbohydrate. Another important nutrient that the body needs in increasing maximum growth, in this case to increase the height of teenagers is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a source of energy, and help build cells and body tissues. Among foods rich in carbohydrates are rice, bread, potatoes, and whole grains.
- Vitamins and minerals. This is an important nutrient for the body so that the body can be active and function all elements of the body properly. Indeed, there are many types of vitamins and minerals and all of them help to increase the height of a 12-year-old teenager. To obtain essential nutrients and vitamins for the body, children must be diligent in consuming fish, green vegetables, fruits and others.
Those are the four types of nutrition for a balanced diet. But apart from that, teenagers are also important to build a healthy diet. In this modern era, many teenagers do not really care about the food they eat, they prefer fast food, junk food, sweets and processed foods. So, you should limit children from consuming junk food, and parents should also supervise children from consuming lots of ice cream, and various other sweets.
Teenagers have to eat 3 times a day, and this should not be missed by children, otherwise their diet will turn into a bad diet, this will cause children to be malnourished and make their growth stagnate.
Prevent children from skipping meals, there are many ways and one of them is by giving snacks such as bananas, or smoothies. Avoid prolonged hunger because it can cause the body to lack nutrients. A healthy diet and a balanced diet are the keys for 12 year olds, both girls and boys, to be able to increase their maximum height.
2. Get quality sleep
Sleep is the most important thing in maintaining health, especially in children. In fact, good quality sleep is the most important factor in improving a child’s health and height level and general body development. If you stay up late and take a break, then this is very dangerous for the body.
So, make sure your children sleep well for 8 hours every night, they can start sleeping at 22.00. So, parents should help their children to sleep comfortably with a good room temperature, and good room cleanliness. Avoid using mobile devices while they sleep, as well as avoid heavy snacks before bed as this will disrupt your child’s sleep.
Check out: Average Height Around the World
3. Exercise regularly
Exercise is very important for teenagers, both boys and girls, especially in increasing height naturally. Outdoor sports such as running and others and including indoor sports are very effective in supporting the growth of bones, cartilage, and the musculoskeletal system.
Sports such as playing basketball, swimming, playing volleyball, are good types of sports for children, especially it is very important for children aged 12 years to get tall quickly. Swimming is a fun sport and it helps stretch the body, strengthens the spine for support for a taller and stronger body. For girls, they can do stretching exercises such as yoga to increase height and keep the body in shape.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Maintaining an ideal body weight is also important and is one way to maximize body height. If a child has been overweight since adolescence, this has the potential to stunt his growth. The heavier a person is, the more weight supports his spine. This weight puts pressure on the inter-vertebral discs of the bones. So, this condition can have a negative impact on height gain.
In addition, excessive body weight is also at risk for various health problems such as obesity, diabetes and others. So, parents must be an example in their child’s diet. Everything is inseparable from parental control to ensure a 12 year old child can grow well.
5. Bask in the sun
Our bodies need exposure to the morning sun, regardless of our age whether children or parents, adults, we all need sunlight to activate the body in producing vitamin D which is good enough for skin health. So, what does this have to do with height growth?
See too: Ways on How to Safely Get a Tan in the Sun Quickly
You see, vitamin D is useful in helping the absorption of calcium which is very important for bones. Indeed, some vitamin D can be obtained from food and supplements. But by spending a little time you don’t need a supply of supplements. Only a short time you are in the sun, you have sufficient needs for vitamin D.
In addition to helping calcium absorption, sun exposure or sunbathing can also improve mood, strengthen the immune system, and improve sleep quality. To get this sunshine, we as parents can invite our children to exercise in the morning under the sun. So, not only sunlight is obtained but also sports.
Foods that Help the Body Grow Taller
Now it’s time for us to explain some foods that are worth consuming to increase height. There are at least the top 10 foods that will make you grow taller at the age of 12. As a parent, you must provide this food to your teenagers, especially children who are in puberty.
What are the foods to increase height, let’s see the explanation.
1. Milk and dairy products
It is a healthy drink that contains nutrients for height growth, you must add milk to the growing children’s diet. Milk will give them a big boost to grow their height. The content of calcium and protein as well as vitamins become important agents in the growth of children.
Apart from drinking milk, dairy products also help to increase the height of teenagers. Among the dairy products are cheese, yogurt, and curd. All dairy products also contain nutrients like milk, it contains calcium, vitamins and other minerals.
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2. Eggs
Eggs are also included in the diet to increase height. The eggs are cheap food with abundant nutrition and vitamins, so they can help the growth of children.
Eggs also contain essential amino acids which are very important for a child’s overall growth. So, as a parent you can prepare various types of eggs as a side dish for your children, you can prepare boiled eggs, omelettes, or eggs cooked in curry.
3. Chicken
The chicken is a food rich in vitamins and protein, it contains vitamin B12 which is useful for body mass, muscle, tissue, and makes you grow taller. Chicken is a food that contains taurine, this is an amino acid that helps control growth and bone formation.
4. Salmon
Salmon is a fish rich in omega 3 fats which is involved in bone health and it can also increase bone turnover to optimize growth. In addition, salmon is also rich in B vitamins, potassium, protein and selenium which are needed for height growth.
5. Almonds
Almonds are a type of legume that is rich in calcium and is as useful as milk in providing calcium for bones. Apart from being enriched with calcium, almonds are also a source of vitamin E which is very important for hair and skin in increasing the addition of new cells to the skin.
Ideally, consuming 8-10 almonds daily is good enough to get all the benefits.
6. Quinoa
Quinoa is one of many plant-based foods, and it contains all of the essential fatty acids that the body desperately needs. These foods are also rich in magnesium (an important ingredient in bone formation), it can increase bone density.
7. Leafy veggies
Leafy vegetables such as kale, cabbage, arugula, spinach, and others are healthy foods that can support height growth. Indeed, the nutritional content varies between vegetables with the others. However, in general, leafy greens contain vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and contain iron. There is also a vitamin K content which also plays a role in strengthening bones and stimulating height.
8. Berries
Among the berries are blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, they are rich in nutrients for growth, tissue repair, and height growth. Berries are foods rich in vitamin C which can produce a lot of collagen. Berries are also an important source of vitamin K, fiber and manganese.
9. Oatmeals
For children who want to quickly increase their height, it is advisable to consume 50 grams of oatmeal for every breakfast. Oatmeal is another type of protein-rich food that is beneficial in repairing tissues and bones. These foods also help the formation of new tissue.
10. Beans
Nuts are a high-protein food, where protein is an important factor that supports the growth of children by increasing the causes of high insulin levels, it is also a source of iron, B vitamins and other important nutrients such as zinc, fiber, copper, manganese and magnesium.
Conclusion
The age of 12 years is a golden period or a golden period for body development including height gain. A balanced diet not only provides the supply of nutrients needed by the body, not only supports the growth of a taller body but also promotes good health for adolescent children.
Pay attention to the children’s diet, daily diet and sleep habits to ensure that they lead a healthy life. Encourage them to engage in physical activities such as sports and games which are fun and can provide great benefits for their health and development.
