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Story: Body shape and dieting

Children's height and weight: comparing countries, 1960s

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These graphs compare the median height and weight of 10-year-old boys and girls in the 1960s, in Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. New Zealand boys and girls (including both Māori and non-Māori) were taller and heavier than their Canadian or British counterparts, but were relatively small in comparison with American children.

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1975, p. 160

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Caroline Daley, Body shape and dieting – Average heights and weights, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/41389/childrens-height-and-weight-comparing-countries-1960s (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by Caroline Daley, published 22 April 2013.