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%

HOME | PERSONALITIES | FEATURES | NEWS

© 1996-2025 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.

There was an article in The Economist (3/2/02) about a Chinese guy who was suing the Chengdu, Sichuan-branch of the Chinese central bank for height discrimination.

According to the article, the bank in question had a minimum height requirement for male employees of 1.68 meters (5ft6in) and for females of 1.55 meters. Furthermore, 40% of the men in Sichuan were too short to qualify. The article goes on to note that such requirements are not unusual in China and cites Shanghai's East China University of Politics and Law which requires that men be 1.7 meters and women 1.6 meters. According to the article, this has effectively discriminated against rural area residents who are shorter than their urban counterparts.

The article is mostly about the development of inidividual rights in China and the use of civil lawsuits in affecting governmental change, but it seemed intersting nonetheless.

Man of Lha-sa(mancha) Sunday, March 24, 2002 at 11:35:40 (PST)

Let me explain how those height-increase programs supposedly work. The person I knew bought the book for $50, with 2 to 3 inches of more height guaranteed. The book has countless stretching exercises which supposedly lengthens the cartiledge in your leg and spine bones. It also recommends a high-protein diet. The problem is, once you're past your growing years, you can't increase height, as my friend learned the hard way - and 50 dollars gone and many hours wasted on stretching exercises.

The final conclusion in the book is to wear elevator shoes, which makes you 2 to 3 inches taller. This is how they can claim a guarantee of 2 to 3 inches in height.

Aren't you glad I saved you 50 dollars, many hours of time, and the embarassment of being suckered?

B. Lee Saturday, March 23, 2002 at 12:21:39 (PST)

Crazy woman in Beijing:)

You are absolutely right. I'm sure there are female models in China that are 6'1. I don't think it's common enough to be a trend though. It's insignificant to use figurs that happen only once in 50 yrs every 250,000 Kilo Square Miles to make a point.

IN. Angelique Friday, March 22, 2002 at 20:51:12 (PST)

Beijing Indiana Angelique,

Indy doesn't mean much. It's just a nickname. I'm actully in Sydney.

Indy Friday, March 22, 2002 at 15:36:30 (PST)

But would a man of average height (let's say anywhere between 5'6 and 5'11) of any race really want to date a girl that's six feet tall? She would look like a monster. And I think the white models in magazines that are 5'10 are incredibly gorgeous, come on- Kate Moss, Karolina Kournikova, Giselle Bundchen-you're going to tell me most men wouldn't kill to date these women??
ya right Friday, March 22, 2002 at 13:34:06 (PST)

Kwan,

#1) The idea that Asians were much taller a few hundred years ago truly stretches credulity. If true, could you explain what might have caused the general decrease in height over the hundreds of years? If you say diet, that is not a plausible reason. Diet has not markedly changed or decreased in quality over the last few hundred years (that is, until more recently with the influx of Western foods).

#2) You're supposed to remember me.

#3) The reason why I've mentioned Western foods vis-a-vis height is because of the claim by some that it is the improvement in diet that is inducing increased height in the Asian population. I think the evidence is quite to the contrary, however.

#4) I don't know that AA are shorter than native Asians in general when demographics/ethnicity are taken into account (ie, origin/ethnicity of AA, for example, NE Asian vs. SE Asian).

#5) Did you read the article I gave the link for? Don't you find the fact that Asians are suffering from more diabetes and cancer at all disturbing, esp. when it appears to be linked to the adoption of Western diet?

MK Friday, March 22, 2002 at 11:02:17 (PST)

MK ,

Height has been decreasing in asia for the past few centuries, it has only began to increase back to it's former times. Especially if we say chinese.
AND I REMEMBER YOU! You obcess with the asians eating american food and increasing in height... well how come asians in asia are so much taller than asian americans on average? They eat less "american" food than AA!
Ms.Kwan Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 19:40:55 (PST)

Beijing Angelique ,

Yes, chinese mainland girl models are well known in places like taiwan and HongKong as being six feet tall. The silk trade company, (a modern fashion company) has many of these tall ladies, alot of them are at 5'11, some go up to 184 cm.
Crazy woman in Beijing Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 16:24:19 (PST)

Chinese girl models so much sexier and taller... who can reach 184 cm? that's 6ft + !!

Those Caucasian models only go up to about 175, which is 5'9, and they say 5'10! And one is 173cm... 5'8... but they say this caucasian women model is 5'10? Ai....

Crazy woman in Beijing Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 11:31:56 (PST)

Indy:

Hey dude! Why's your name Indy..?

Are you in Indy...?

I'm in Indiana...2.
Beijing Indiana Angelique Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 11:01:49 (PST)

NEWEST COMMENTS | EARLIER COMMENTS