No, you do not get taller when you lose weight.
While it's a common misconception that weight loss can make you taller, it's important to understand the relationship between weight and height. Your height is primarily determined by genetics and growth during childhood and adolescence, and generally, it doesn't change significantly once you reach adulthood.
The Link Between Height and Weight
The confusion often arises because excess weight can sometimes make an individual appear shorter. This is especially due to poor posture associated with carrying extra weight and the way fat distributes on the body. When someone loses weight, the reduction in fat may reveal a more upright posture and streamlined physique, creating an illusion of increased height. However, this is not an actual increase in skeletal length.
What the Research Says
Research on this topic confirms the distinction between the appearance of height and actual skeletal height. Specifically, scientific studies have indicated:
- There was no association between adult height and weight status. This means that whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese, your adult height remains unaffected.
Key Takeaways
To clarify, here are some crucial points:
- Height is largely predetermined: Your adult height is mainly controlled by your genetics and is set during your growth years.
- Weight doesn’t change bone length: Losing or gaining weight doesn’t alter the length of your bones.
- Weight loss improves posture: Weight loss can often lead to improved posture, making an individual appear taller, but it is not a change in actual height.
- Appearance vs Reality: The visual impact of weight loss can trick the eye into perceiving a change in height, but this is a matter of visual perception, not physical skeletal change.
Conclusion
Therefore, while weight loss has many benefits, increasing height is not one of them. Focus on maintaining a healthy weight to improve posture and overall well-being, not with the aim of growing taller.
