Although everyone is built differently and the timing of growth spurts plays a big part, there is an average height and weight for teenage boys and girls. The teen years are the gateway into adulthood, and teenagers need to live a healthy lifestyle consisting of physical exercise and healthy eating. Determining the average height and weight for a teenager can help your child figure out what he needs to do to fit in that healthy range.
Background
Teenagers go through puberty, a period where growth takes place. The first pubescent changes can occur as young as eight in girls and nine and a half for boys. Growth increases typically take place between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and 12 and 16 for boys. The height and weight changes can be very small or very large. A girl for example could grow ten inches taller and gain 55 pounds during these years. However, a girl could grow only two inches and only gain 15 pounds. Also, a teenage boy could grow a foot taller and gain 65 pounds. Another boy might only grow four inches taller and add 15 pounds. It all depends on the individual.
Boys' Height and Weight
There are four different age ranges for boys between the ages of 12 and 20 and different average heights and weights to go with them. Boys between the ages of 12 and 13 should be between 58 and 62 inches tall and weigh between 85 and 100 pounds. Fourteen and 15 year olds are typically between 63 and 66 inches tall and weigh between 105 and 125 pounds. This is a significant increase in both height and weight. The average height and weight continues to grow as the typical boy between 16 and 17 is 67-70 inches tall and weighs 130-150 pounds. By the 18-20 age range, height is basically the same but weight continues to increase with an average of 150-160 pounds.
Girls' Height and Weight
Girls follow a similar pattern as boys being that they grow larger with age. However, it is in much smaller increments and growth slows down at a much younger age. On average, 12 and 13 year old girls are between 60 and 63 inches tall and weigh between 95 and 105 pounds. Between 14 and 15, height only increases to 63-64 inches but weight increases to 105-115 pounds. By age 16 and 17, girls' height has basically become static at 64 inches and weight only increases to somewhere between 115 and 120 pounds. Between 18 and 20, girls are still an average of 64 inches tall and weigh between 125 and 130 pounds.
Body Mass Index
The Body Mass Index is used to help medical professionals figure out whether or not an individual fits into a healthy weight range for his age. BMI calculators take your gender, birth year, birth date, height, weight and when the measurements were taken into account. Once your BMI is calculated, it is plotted on a chart which uses figures of people your age and gender. If you fall into the 50 percentile range, you are at a healthy weight for your age and gender.
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