In modern society, when we look around us, it is not difficult to find a remarkable phenomenon: children's height is growing rapidly. Between 1992 and 2017, the average height of 11-year-old girls and 12-year-old boys in China increased by a staggering 10 centimeters. By 2019, the average height of 19-year-old girls has reached 1.64 meters, ranking third in the world. The average height of a 19-year-old boy is 1.76 meters, ranking first in the world. What kind of secrets are hidden behind this series of data?
First of all, we can't ignore the important role of nutrition in children's growth and development. With the improvement of living standards, modern families pay more and more attention to the healthy diet of their children. According to 2017 data, the average annual intake of meat, eggs, milk and aquatic products by a Chinese reached 78 kilograms, which is three times that of 30 years ago. Abundant food sources provide children with ample protein and other essential nutrients that form the body's tissues and promote bone and muscle growth. Therefore, it can be said that the rapid growth of modern children's height is inseparable from good nutritional support.
However, nutrition is not the only factor. Exercise also plays a crucial role in promoting a child's height growth. Growth hormone is one of the important hormones that promote human growth and development, and it is secreted more during moderate-to-high-intensity exercise and deep sleep. This means that with proper exercise, children can stimulate the secretion of growth hormone, which promotes the growth and development of bones. Therefore, encouraging children to do at least one hour of physical exercise every day, such as swimming, playing ball, etc., will not only help to strengthen their physical fitness, but also effectively promote the growth of height.
In addition, adequate sleep is also one of the important factors affecting a child's height. Growth hormone is mainly secreted during deep sleep at night, so getting kids enough sleep each day is essential to promote height gain. Experts recommend that primary school students should ensure more than 9 hours of sleep every day to ensure that the body is fully rested and recovered.
To sum up, the rapid growth of modern children's height is the result of a combination of factors. Good nutritional support provides children with the material basis they need to grow and develop; Proper exercise stimulates the secretion of growth hormone and promotes the growth and development of bones; Adequate sleep, on the other hand, ensures that the body is well rested and recuperated during the night. Therefore, parents and teachers should work together to create a good environment for children to grow up in a healthy and happy atmosphere.