NEW YORK, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - The world's tallest woman, Sandy Allen, has died at a retirement center in her hometown of Indianapolis at the age of 53, U.S media said on Thursday.

Allen, who was 2.31 meters (7' 7 1/4 inches) tall, had been earlier recognized as the world's tallest woman by the Guinness Book of World Records, The Indianapolis Star newspaper said.

Born a 2.95-kg (6.5-lb) baby in June 1955, her abnormal growth began soon after her birth due to a tumor in her pituitary gland that caused an uncontrollable growth hormone release. By the age of 10 she stood 1.9 meters tall, and was 2.16 meters by the age of 16.

She underwent surgery at the age of 22, and her remarkable growth finally stopped.

Allen, who suffered from diabetes, breathing trouble, and kidney problems, had been hospitalized for several months. The cause of her death is not yet known.

In her first letter to the Guinness World Records in 1974, Allen wrote, "I would like to get to know someone that is approximately my height. It is needless to say my social life is practically nil and perhaps the publicity from your book may brighten my life."

After her recognition, Allen appeared in Fredrick Fellini's Casanova, in a TV movie called Side Show, and in a Canadian/American documentary film called Being Different. She also wrote a book entitled 'Cast A Giant Shadow.'

Yao Defen from China is the unofficial world's tallest woman at 2.34 meters. Her height has not been officially confirmed by the Guinness World Records, however. The world's tallest living man is Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk, at 2.59 meters.