Asian American Attitudes toward Height | Asian American Poll

AA ATTITUDE TOWARD HEIGHT
(Updated Saturday, Jun 6, 2026, 12:07:54 AM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Assuming you are an Asian American, how important is height in your assessment of a person's attractiveness?
It's a key element of attractiveness. | 20%
It's one of many factors I consider. | 44%
It's less important than other personal qualities. | 28%
I am not attracted to tall people. | 8%

Assuming you are an Asian American, which best matches your feelings toward your own height?
I'd like to be 3 inches taller. | 43%
I'd like to be an inch taller. | 27%
I'm happy with my height. | 26%
I'd like to be an inch shorter. | 4%

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Actually, whoever said asians don´t wear high heel shoes is rather mistaken... The asians i know and see in Europe all use this type of shoes... Even the men wear shoes with big platforms...
But i understand height shouldn´t mean that much...
European Fellar Thursday, January 10, 2002 at 04:22:44 (PST)

Back in the college days, I had a chance to meet a few ex-Houston Rockets players. I was a valet parker at a hotel in Galveston. One evening, a few Rockets players came back from their practice. They pulled their cars up the drive way one after the other. The first one I met was Kenny Smith, who was the point guard. When he handed me the key of his Mercedes E300, I did not believe what I saw. The guy was only 5'5" or 5'6". The second one I met was Vernon Maxwell, the hot-headed shooting guard. He was around 5'9" or 5'10". These two guys, according to the NBA bios, were both 6'4". Then I met Hakim Olajuwon. He was towering tall, but very skinny.
FOP Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 23:01:25 (PST)

Japanese are now taller than Chinese.
I'm sure most of people know because someone posted the article of the news before.
But who cares the difference between Chinese,Korean and Japanese is only less then inch any way.
Why do people make a fuss over their height?
lolo Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 21:21:31 (PST)

asian guy who isn't tall so what,

There are very short black people in Africa also.

Overall physical characteristics of Blacks in the USA, has a lot to do with 200 years of natural selection due to slavery.

Also media hype of NBA and NFL also help promote the sterotype the USA Blacks are giants. Walk into any black community USA and you will see blacks in the USA have the same height distribution of any other race in the USA.

AC dropout Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 15:47:18 (PST)

The Chinese people in China are still a bit shorter than the Chinese people over here. Maybe taller people get more visas, I don't know. It could be the food, which makes me really hairy as well. The middle aged people are the shortest, it could be the starvation and stress during the Cultural Revolution or something. Taller people have less reflexes, and average height people tend to work harder. Look at Iverson and Stockton, I'll play with them anyday over the unwieldy 7 footers.

Deng Xianpeng was short, but Mao was over 6 feet tall.
Asian Superstar Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 15:22:18 (PST)

Height, as is expected, is more of an issue for Asian-American women than it is for men. There are plenty of Asian-American women who would not even consider a guy, whatever his other personal and character attributes are, unless he meets a certain height requirement; usually her height plus a few inches. For men, as long as the woman isn't taller than them it's a non-issue. Being vertically challenged myself, average Asian-American height (but shorter than average when compared with the gamut of men in the US), I haven't had much issue with this because, frankly, anyone who ignores your other fine qualities for something as indiscriminate as your height probably wouldn't be an ideal partner. It all goes back to one's personal preference, but I imagine, if all else were equal and I were in the woman's shoes, I'd prefer the taller person (as long as it wasn't some ridiculous height...like NBA territory). There's plenty of fish in the sea folks so if someone won't give you the time of day because you don't meet their height minimum, by all means, be polite, let them know they're missing out on something great, and move on with your life. Don't obsess over it and, for God's sake, don't go out and buy yourself some lifts. Bye!
Kenny Le KennyXL@yahoo.com Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 13:52:40 (PST)

Michael K,

I really enjoyed reading your post. It's nice to see such a positive yet realistic post. Nice to see that there's some pride among us Asians.

I agree with your point regarding northern people being taller. I have 3 brothers and we're all relatively tall, for Americans that is. Our parents came from Northern China.

In any case no one has ever really accused on being short. I'm a ChiAm - 6'tall.

kasjdfjsdfjsdlkfjdslafjdsalk Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 13:31:53 (PST)

"Finally, I've never seen an Asian wear those elevator shoes that makes you 2 or 3 inches taller. I've seen whites and blacks wear them. You can tell because those shoes are generic no-name brands, and have a high heel cups"

I see asian male wearing Timberland and shoes with the two inch thick rubber soles (Dr. Martin, J crew, AX) all the time in the city. It is just fashion. I don't think they are compensating for height like you said.

I don't see many asian wearing cowboy boots. Which will also boost height a couple of inches.
AC dropout Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 12:54:49 (PST)

"what has height got to do with anything?"

Short Asian women wanting to have taller kids. That's why you'll sometimes see a 4'11" Asian woman with her 6'4" White husband and 6'1" teenage daughter. Hapa girls that tall freak me out! Well, I guess this is quite a ridiculous example since most AF/WM couples don't normally consist of partners who differ in height to such an absurd degree. But I've seen a fair number of examples.
Jay... the hapa Wednesday, January 09, 2002 at 11:33:06 (PST)

what has height got to do with anything?
being tall doesn't make anyone better i mean if black people are supposely the tallest race then how come u don't see africa being a superpower?

asian guy who isn't tall so what Tuesday, January 08, 2002 at 00:23:12 (PST)

I agree with dan - whites and blacks do overinflate their height. Countless studies by dating services have shown that men, almost all of them white and black men, inflate their height by an average of 2 inches. On the other hand, I know an Asian coworker who tells everybody his height is 5'8 and a half. I ask him, "why don't you just tell everyone you're 5'9"; at least with normal shoes, or standing upright, you'll surely be over 5'9"."

I also have an Asian friend who's 5'9 and a half, and similarly I ask him to just say you're 5'10".

Either way, the height issue doesn't concern them. They're both have sufficient height, and are both married.

Finally, I've never seen an Asian wear those elevator shoes that makes you 2 or 3 inches taller. I've seen whites and blacks wear them. You can tell because those shoes are generic no-name brands, and have a high heel cups.

B. Lee Monday, January 07, 2002 at 21:10:38 (PST)

Of course climate and food affect one's genes and height. The ONLY reason for differences between average height of members of different "races" is due to geographical location. This location determined the climate those people were subject to and the foods they ate. The phenotypical differences between races are only there because different strands of humanity settled in different areas and the climate and diet were different. Race? It should be called phenogeographical origin.. or somethin like that...
Thomas Sunday, January 06, 2002 at 19:49:23 (PST)

what is this obsession with height?

Many world leaders were not tall. Dr. Sun Yat sen, Chiang Kai shek, Deng Xiaopeng, Stalin, Hitler, Napoleon, Ghandi were all not towering figures...

The Japanese and southern Chinese (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, etc.) are amongst the wealthiest people on this earth. They are not known to be tall...
"big" small men Sunday, January 06, 2002 at 15:30:09 (PST)

people here saying young north chinese/koreans etc average 6ft i dont think so i went to korea and japan this sumer the young ppl r suprisingly tall now im just over 6'0 and noticed some young people the same size although these were still the minority.i think the average height was almost the same as for white ppl. i think the averages will be come al most equall but i think the tallest people will always be white or black as we have more gene variation .we have really small and tall whereas asians all tend to fall in a similar height range.
banana Sunday, January 06, 2002 at 14:36:52 (PST)

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