In the shown time-period the mean height of men and women has generally increased in England. According to the survey, the average height of males rose slightly during the period in consideration, from 174.4 centimeters in 1998 to 176.2 centimeters (approximately 5'9") in 2022. In comparison, the mean height of women was 162.3 centimeters (5'4") in 2022, up from 161 in 1998. Reasons for height increasing While a large part of an adult’s final height is based on genetics, the environment in which a person grows up is also important. Improvements in nutrition, healthcare, and hygiene have seen the average heights increase over the last century, particularly in developed countries. Average height is usually seen as a barometer for the overall health of the population of a country, as the most developed are usually among the ‘tallest’ countries. Average waist circumference also increasing The prevalence of obesity among adults in England has generally been trending upward since 2000. In that year, 21 percent of men and women in England were classified as obese. By 2021, however, this share was 26 percent among women and 25 percent among men. Every adult age group in England had an average BMI which was classified as overweight, apart from those aged 16 to 24, indicating there is a problem with overweightness in England.

This statistic represents the average height of men in the top 20 countries worldwide as of 2016. On average, men are 183.9 centimeters tall in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

According to a survey conducted by Ipsos, the perfect height for men, according to 22 percent of survey participants in Great Britain, was between 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 1 inch. As for women, 21 percent of respondents stated that the ideal height for a woman should be between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 9 inches.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) was first established in 2005. It is an annual programme which measures the height and weight of children in Reception and Year 6 within state maintained schools. Some independent and special schools also choose to participate.

The measurement process is overseen by trained healthcare professionals in schools and not shared with school staff or pupils. Data are captured and validated by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) (prior to 1 April 2013 the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care (NHS IC)) then collates the data at a national level, conducts further validation and analysis, and publishes an annual report. The National Obesity Observatory (NOO) also publish detailed analysis of the NCMP dataset annually. The validated national NCMP dataset is shared with Public Health Observatories (PHOs) in accordance with the terms of a data sharing agreement. The PCTs also undertake additional analyses at regional and local level to inform the work of the NHS and local authorities on the healthy weight agenda.

The NCMP was set up in line with the Government's strategy to tackle obesity and to:

• inform local planning and delivery of services for children
• gather population-level data to allow analysis of trends in growth patterns and obesity
• increase population and professional understanding of weight issues in children
• be a vehicle for engaging with children and families about healthy lifestyles and weight issues

Further information can be found at the Health and Social Care Information Centre National Child Measurement Programme webpage.


Main Topics:
The database includes information on anthropometric measurements of Reception Year and Year 6 children in schools in England, collected during the school year as part of the NCMP.

The database comprises tables covering BMI classification (every pupil is classified into only one BMI category); Government Office Region codes; a range of NCMP data at Primary Care Trust level; a range of NCMP data at record level; information on primary schools that did and did not participate in the NCMP Programme; a description of the school type codes; a range of NCMP data at SHA level; and information on urban/rural indicators. For a full list of fields, and descriptions within the database please refer to the metadata documentation. The database is a ‘reduced’ version of the full NCMP dataset to ensure that the risk of disclosure is minimal. See documentation for details of omitted fields.

Standard Measures:
Since children’s height and weight are dependent on age and sex, height and weight measurements must be standardised to take these factors into account. The standardised value is a 'z-score' and indicates how far, and in what direction, the measurement deviates from the average (mean) for that age and sex. A formula ('Cole's method') is used to standardise height, weight and BMI (see Cole, T. (1997) 'Growth monitoring with the British 1990 growth reference', Archives of Disease in Childhood, 76(1), pp.47–49). For every measurement, age (in months) and sex, there is a growth curve based on the UK 1990 Growth Reference. This provides the values required by the formula to allow the height, weight and BMI z-score to be calculated. The z-scores are converted to p-scores and allow every child to be assigned to a BMI classification using defined cut-offs. Please see the 'NCMP Guidance for Analysis' in the documentation for further details.

Estimated annual average wave height (metres) created by a Pelamis Wave Model for Accessible Wave Energy Resource Atlas. Wave height values are measured as lower and upper values in metres as calculated by the Pelamis wave model. Annual average wave height covers an area known as the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Data model produced in 2005. The Pelamis Wave Model was an oceanographic model using the Pelamis wave energy converter device. The Accessible Wave Energy Resource Atlas was produced to provide data and information on the accessible wave energy resource potential around Ireland. Wave model developed by ESB International (ESBI) as part of the Accessible Wave Energy Atlas Ireland published by the Marine Institute and Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland. Model completed for time period run.

In 2022, men aged 55 to 64 years had an average body mass index (BMI) of 29 kg/m2 and women in the same age group had a BMI of 28.8 kg/m2, the highest mean BMI across all the age groups. Apart from individuals aged 16 to 24 years, every demographic in England had an average BMI which is classified as overweight.An increasing problem It is shown that the mean BMI of individuals for both men and women has been generally increasing year-on-year in England. The numbers show in England, as in the rest of the United Kingdom (UK), that the prevalence of obesity is an increasing health problem. The prevalence of obesity in women in England has increased by around nine percent since 2000, while for men the share of obesity has increased by six percent. Strain on the health service Being overweight increases the chances of developing serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancers. In the period 2019/20, England experienced over 10.7 thousand hospital admissions with a primary diagnosis of obesity, whereas in 2002/03 this figure was only 1,275 admissions. Furthermore, the number of bariatric surgeries taking place in England, particularly among women, has significantly increased over the last fifteen years. In 2019/20, over 5.4 thousand bariatric surgery procedures were performed on women and approximately 1.3 thousand were carried out on men.

This statistic displays the mean waist circumference of adults in England in 2022, by gender and age. In this year, the mean waist circumference among age group of 65 to 74 years was 104.5 centimeters for men and 91.3 centimeters for women.

In 2020, the average median weekly earnings for men who were full-time workers was 865 British pounds a week, compared with 642 for women. At the height of the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic, in April 2020, almost half of UK workers were working from home, and just 31 percent of people were traveling to work.