At around age 12, which statement is reported about height and weight differences between genders?

At around age 12, which statement is reported about height and weight differences between genders?

• A. Height and weight are equal
• B. Girls are taller; Boys weigh more
• C. Boys taller; Girls weigh more
• D. Girls shorter and lighter

Answer: (A)

Around this age, growth in boys and girls is in different phases, and there is a lot of overlap in how tall and heavy individuals are. Girls often begin puberty earlier and have their growth spurts sooner, but by about age 12 there isn’t a consistent, population-wide difference in height and weight between the genders. Individual variation is large, and the distributions overlap, so saying that height and weight are equal reflects the typical pattern at this point in development. Differences generally become more evident later in adolescence as boys continue growing taller and gaining weight longer than girls.

Around this age, growth in boys and girls is in different phases, and there is a lot of overlap in how tall and heavy individuals are. Girls often begin puberty earlier and have their growth spurts sooner, but by about age 12 there isn’t a consistent, population-wide difference in height and weight between the genders. Individual variation is large, and the distributions overlap, so saying that height and weight are equal reflects the typical pattern at this point in development. Differences generally become more evident later in adolescence as boys continue growing taller and gaining weight longer than girls.