Short people live longer than tall: Scientists reveal secret
Short people live longer than tall people (Photo: Getty Images)
Scientists have confirmed the common belief that women generally live longer than men. Now, researchers have introduced a new topic: shorter individuals may outlive their taller counterparts, informs CNBC.
Shift in perspective
In the past, short stature was viewed as detrimental to longevity, but recent findings suggest that the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction.
For many years, shorter individuals were believed to be those who suffered from poor childhood nutrition, which compromised their development and ability to fight off infectious diseases, leaving them perceived as weaker than taller people.
"Historically, at the population level, we [were] associating short size with poor development during the first year of life and with a high level of mortality," explains Jean-Marie Robine, an expert demographer.
A landmark study conducted in 2003 highlighted a negative correlation between height and longevity. Researchers found that shorter individuals not only had lower mortality rates but also tended to experience fewer chronic diseases linked to diet, particularly as they aged. Overall, the lifespan of shorter individuals appears to be longer than that of taller people.
Women are in the ideal height range
Studies indicate that height does, in fact, matter, with shorter stature generally linked to increased life expectancy.
"It turns out that the height of women perfectly matches their increased longevity," notes David Sinclair, co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School.
The average height of women varies by region, with American women over 20 standing at around 162 centimeters (5-foot-4), while some estimates suggest about 159.5 centimeters (5-foot-3).
The height difference between men and women is largely attributed to variations in growth hormone levels, which tend to be significantly higher in women.
"It is known that growth hormone levels do influence longevity," adds Sinclair.
Women have another secret
However, height alone doesn't fully explain why women tend to live longer.
"Women are more resistant to mortality [and] to death than men because they are just resisting more to difficulties. Women may also feel responsible for not only their own lives but also for their children's lives. With this in mind, they have to be stronger, and hang on a bit longer than men," expressed his hypothesis Robine.
He added that men live a long time, but only if they are healthy. When health issues arise, men's survival rates are lower, while women tend to be much more resistant to "not perfect" health.
Previously, we reported on scientists determining the maximum human lifespan and how researchers revealed the secret of the kiss's origin.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
