Why Men are usually taller than Women !

In different geographical areas around the globe the height of humans differ a lot, but still men are 4-9% taller than women everywhere. Sometimes some exceptions occur but on an average men are always taller. Different studies tell about different reasons for this difference in height.  A single factor can't be held responsible for this difference in height. Some factors are related to our evolution, while some are related to our cultures. Here are a few of them.

Biological Reasons

• Natural Selection: We all know that humans evolved from apes and gorillas and it took millions of years in this process. All of the previous species of humans lived in forests and males often fight for females (just like we see on animal channels). Most of the times taller males win and only winners were able to continue their genes. In this way natural selection helped men to be taller.
• Women stop growing a few years earlier: If you look at the growth chart of both men and women, then you will find that women stop growing a few years earlier. It gives men an upper edge and they become taller.
• Testosterone hormone: This hormone is responsible for muscular growth. Women's body have just 5% of testosterone compared to men. This is a major reason behind lesser muscles which can easily lead to lesser height. More height requires more muscle mass to support the larger frame. Why women don't develop muscles like men ?

Cultural Reasons

• Better food for males: In most of the cultures boys and girls are not treated equally. Boys are given more preference in terms of better food. This practice when continued for generations will automatically result in taller and muscular males.
• Outdoor Exposure: In most of the cultures men are the main earning member of the family and often get more outdoor exposure. This resulted in more physical activity and thus muscular development and better height. This factor is also connected to previous factor of better food for males.
• Women select taller guy: Just like the biological factor of natural selection, men don't fight for women anymore. But still taller men win. It is because still in modern world women prefer their men to be taller. So taller genes of men continue to rule.
• Men select shorter women: In most scenarios men opt for a shorter women instead of the taller one. So the shorter genes of women continue in the gene pool.

Who's body is better: Men or Women !

All of these biological and cultural reasons were a part of our life from past thousands to millions of years. In some species the difference of height of males and females is much larger than humans. So human females are still better than a lot of other species. Shorter height of women does not mean women are lesser than men in any way in the modern world.