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An interesting study was published in the June 2022 issue of PLOS Genetics, and it has to do with height.

Researchers evaluated hundreds of thousands of people to see if their height had any correlation with medical problems.

The average height of a man is 5’ 9” and a woman is 5’ 4” — so anything above that is considered “tall.” As it pertains to the study, the mean height of all the study participants was 5’ 6”.

How does being tall impact disease risk? What’s fascinating is that stature isn’t something that comes to anyone’s mind when thinking about risk factors.

When someone is ill, the typical risk factors evaluated are your environmental exposures, as well as where you live, the kind of food you eat, your weight, genetics, your family history of disorders and toxic exposures. But how tall you are never comes to mind. It seems like such an implausible connection.

The difficulty is that height is not modifiable. Being short, average in height or towering is not something you can change, unlike some other risk factors.

Anyway, taller people apparently have a higher risk of peripheral nerve damage (neuropathy) and varicose veins, but a lower risk of heart disease. This contradicts prior studies, by the way.

Height and dementia, cancer

We’re seeing more and more Alzheimer’s today as the population ages. One trial examining about 500 people found that men who are about 6 feet tall are almost 60% less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s compared to those shorter than 5’ 7”. The same benefit holds true for taller women; however, the correlation is not as tight.

What about people of shorter stature?

Research currently shows that someone below average height has a lower risk of getting cancer. In men, the risk of having prostate cancer is also lower if you’re below average height.

It’s not yet possible to fully explain this; however, growth hormone levels play a role in the development of cancer.

People of shorter stature (like me!) also have reduced telomere shortening, and that’s a good thing.

The information presented today is based on numerous studies and meta-analyses, so it’s not carved in stone. Still, height is becoming a better known, albeit non-modifiable, risk factor for disease development. Childhood illness and exposure to pathogens play a role, too, as do lifestyle factors, diet and genetics.

Personally, I don’t think anyone should worry about their height. You can’t change it anyway. So, while investigators continue to tease out our destiny based upon height, I suggest we all just focus on our modifiable risk factors instead.

You can make changes to things within your control, and the tweaks you make now may well translate to life-long health and longevity.

This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement.

Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and author of Real Solutions from Head to Toe.