Short people more likely to die from heart disease

[Today]

Source!

PARIS: Short people are 50 per cent more likely than tall people to die prematurely of heart disease, researchers reported in a major review of 3 million people.

The study showed that women less than 1.53 metres and men less than 1.65 metres are significantly more prone to cardiovascular or coronary heart problems than women and men taller than 1.66 and 1.73 metres, respectively.

The findings, published in the European Heart Journal, suggest that short stature should be added to the list of known risk factors alongside obesity, advanced age and high cholesterol levels, the researchers said.

The link between height and heart conditions has been examined in nearly 2000 studies from around the world over the past 60 years, but evidence remained contradictory.

Scientists in Finland led by Puula Paajanen, of the University of Tampere, sifted through research to see if they could find a definitive answer.

The best approach, they decided, was to compare the shortest group to the tallest group to highlight any differences that might emerge.

They focused on 52 earlier studies, examining more than 3 million people in all who met their criteria for comparability and high standards.

''The results are unequivocal: short stature is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease,'' said Jaakko Tuomilehto, a professor at the University of Helsinki.

''But the possible patho-physiological, environmental, and genetic background of this peculiar association is not known,'' he added in a commentary, also in the European Heart Journal.

One theory is that shorter people have smaller coronary arteries that may become clogged earlier in life, especially when combined with poor nutrition or infections resulting in poor foetal or childhood growth.

But recent findings also suggest genes may be a culprit, Dr Paajanen said.

''The genetic background of body height suggest that inherited factors … may explain the association between small stature and an increased risk of heart disease in later life,'' she said in a statement.

Short people should not be worried about the new findings, she added. ''Height is only one factor … People … can control their weight [and] lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking and exercise.''

She pointed out that being tall eliminated a risk factor for coronary heart disease but was not a protection against it.

The researchers also said they could not ''reliably answer the question on the critical absolute height'' because of the differences in the studies: ''The height cut-off points did not only differ between the articles but also between men and women and between ethnic groups. This is why we used the shortest-versus-tallest group setting."

I'm kind of short...

 

[Mr.Freeman]

I think its the same with people who have gigantism.

So yeah, I would guess both ends on height measurement would have the same rate.

 

[Fuelbi]

I'm extremely offended and scared of this. I'm like the shortest person scratch that, second shortest person (only after somebody who skipped a grade) in my class

 

[Mr.Freeman]

How short?

I'm like 5'9. Normal size for a dude.

 

[MPH Deku]

Not gonna sway me.

Still wish I was shorter.

 

[Grandeza]

1.65 meters so that's like 5'5"ish. So I'm 5'4" now but I'm 14 so I'll probably clear that one.

 

[Today]

XD I think being tall has tons of benefits! And health benefits now, too. XP

 

[Fuelbi]

How short?

I'm like 5'9. Normal size for a dude.

Iunno... I haven't measured myself for ever.

But if it's any help, people can use my head as an arm rest :/

 

[Luigitoilet]

I'm like 5'6. Still pretty **** short.

 

[Mota]

Eh I'm not worried.

Although I'm 5'6, want more height.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

Iunno... I haven't measured myself for ever.

But if it's any help, people can use my head as an arm rest :/

I'm going to guess you're 5'1/5'2, the height of my girlfriend. I'm 5'9 so I'm fine, and she is a health fanatic so she'll be fine too. She has went nearly a year without any fried food/ has consumed 800/1200 calories/day for a year as well.. so my life is safe in that dept. XD

 

[RATED]

I am really ****ed... I am 5'4 and I am 20 years about to 21 this year

edit : I read it clearly and I saw " nutrition" there and by that I am cautious a lot. so I have a win. but yeah I am that short.

 

[Fuelbi]

I'm going to guess you're 5'1/5'2, the height of my girlfriend. I'm 5'9 so I'm fine, and she is a health fanatic so she'll be fine too. She has went nearly a year without any fried food/ has consumed 800/1200 calories/day for a year as well.. so my life is safe in that dept. XD

Great, good looking and she plays video games

You make me more jealous by the second.

 

[ETWIST51294]

lol you guys are short

i just turned 16 and im 6'1 lol

 

[Black Mantis]

lol you guys are short

i just turned 16 and im 6'1 lol

guys don't stop growing until 21 so you're going to get taller.

 

[July]

Eep, I'm about 5'2", not good news for me I guess...and even worse news for my friend's 4'9" boyfriend O_O

 

[REL38]

I'm at 5'6" so good thing I'm in the clear

 

[S l o X]

I'm 17 & 5'9".

****, short people need to start eating really healthy.

 

[ru5514n]

6'3" at 18 years old.
Good protection right there.
Although there is plenty of other factors contributing to heart disease, so I doubt most short people have that much to worry about.

 

[Metal~Mario]

guys don't stop growing until 21 so you're going to get taller.

Really?

I haven't grown at all since I was 17 (I'm nearly 20 now).

I'm 6'1", so, I guess I'm average.

 

[Virtual Kruncher]

I'm 6'3" and I'm [redacted], do I have to worry about being too tall?

 

[Kole]

Good thing I'm tall average. :D