Filipinos are taller now, but still lag globally

The Philippines still ranks near the bottom worldwide in average height.

Compare today’s young Filipinos with photos of their great-grandparents and you may notice something: we’re getting taller.

Historical data from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), alongside more recent Philippine nutrition data and estimates, shows a gradual increase in Filipino height over the past century.

Filipinos are taller today

Filipino men born around the turn of the 20th century averaged about 154.7 centimeters or 5’1”. Today, estimates generally place Filipino men at around 163 to 165 centimeters, or 5’4” to 5’5”.

Women have also grown taller. Historical estimates put Filipino women at around 147.9 centimeters or 4’10”, compared with roughly 150 to 152 centimeters or 4’11” to 5’0” today.

Figures vary depending on the survey and methodology, but the long-term direction is clear: Filipinos have grown taller.

But we’re not catching up fast

The problem is that much of the world grew taller, too—and many populations improved faster.

NCD-RisC found that Filipino men born in 1896 ranked 195th among 200 populations studied. For men born in 1996, the Philippines was still near the bottom at 192nd despite their average height increasing to 163.2 centimeters.

Why the slow progress?

Genes determine much of an individual’s potential height, but population height also reflects nutrition, healthcare and living conditions.

Better access to protein, milk, meat and micronutrients, along with improved sanitation, vaccination, prenatal care and treatment of childhood diseases, has helped younger generations grow taller.

But one major obstacle remains: childhood stunting.

The National Nutrition Council stresses that height isn’t determined by genetics alone. Chronic undernutrition, repeated illness and poor maternal and childhood nutrition can prevent children from reaching their full growth potential.

Being short, of course, is neither a disease nor something undesirable. National averages also say nothing about how tall an individual Filipino can be.

But population height can reveal something much bigger.

Filipinos have gained centimeters over the past century. The challenge now isn’t simply becoming taller—it’s ensuring every Filipino child gets enough nutrition and healthcare to grow as healthy as their body allows.

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