What Your Height Says About Your Health

It’s safe to say that most people already know how much your weight affects your health and well-being. But what about your height?

Unlike the number on the scale, it’s pretty much impossible to change whether you’re short, tall, or somewhere in the middle.

Your height may come into play when picking out a new pair of jeans, but as it turns out, just a few inches can play a major role in your overall health.

Here are some of the benefits of being short:

1. You might live longer: According to research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a gene linked to short stature happens to impact longevity. The scientists found that a gene mutation stops insulin-like growth factor, which may also extend a short person’s lifespan.
2. You’re less prone to cancer: It may seem strange to link cancer to height, but the idea actually makes a lot of logical sense. An individual that’s 5’10” typically has larger organs and more cells than someone who is, say, 5’2”. This gives a taller person’s cells more chances to mutate and become cancerous. "Melanoma, thyroid, kidney, breast, colon, and rectum cancers, in particular, are strongly associated with height," said Geoffrey Kabat, PhD, senior epidemiologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, according to Prevention.
3. You’re less likely to develop blood clots: A study from the University of Tromso in Norway found that being under 5’2” and close to a normal weight decreases your chances of developing blood clots. This is essentially because blood has to be pumped a longer distance in taller individuals, making it easier to clot.

Here are some of the benefits of being tall:

1. You’re less likely to suffer from dementia: Researchers from the University of Edinburgh's College of Medicine suggest that shorter individuals are more likely to develop dementia than someone who is 5’7” or taller. However, according to the study, this notion stems from the fact that being shorter and smaller may result from poor nutrition or childhood illnesses.
2. Pregnancy/Childbirth will be easier: A study at the City University of New York recently found that taller women are less likely to develop gestational diabetes than short women. Though scientists don’t know why, they suspect that the genes related to height have some kind of effect on glucose tolerance.
3. Your heart may be stronger: Scientists believe that the genes associated with being short in stature also increase the risk of high LDL cholesterol levels. According to a recent British study, for every two-and-a-half inches taller you are than someone of the same gender, your risk of heart disease decreases by 14%.