Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDo They Live Longer?Height and LifespanLife Expectancy FactorsLiving Longer & Healthier
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Do They Live Longer?
Height and Lifespan
Life Expectancy Factors
Living Longer & Healthier
If you are a shorter person, you may have heard plenty of height jokes and received many short memes. But as it turns out, the joke might actually be on tall people. Research shows short people might live longer than their taller peers, and the reasons for that may surprise you.
On average, shorter people may live an average of two to five years longer than tall people.Researchers attribute this to several factors, including lower disease risk and body size composition.
This article will look at studies on longevity and height, how height and other factors might affect life expectancy, and how to live a longer and healthier life.
Ugur Karakoc / Getty Images
Do Short People Live Longer?
Many people assume that being tall means a healthy and long life, but various studies seem to dispute this. Genetics and a healthy lifestyle also significantly influence health and longevity.
Here is what the research has to say about height and lifespan.
The FOX03 Gene
Genetic variations in the FOX03 gene are linked to longevity in humans and animals. The gene is also associated with body size and various biological processes essential for health over your lifespan, including substrate metabolism (a chemical reaction), protein turnover, and cell survival and death.
Variations of this gene can also offer protection from certain diseases, includingtype 2 diabetes,cardiovascular disease,cancer, and neurological disorders.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man,” as its sources do.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges that sex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man,” as its sources do.
Above-Average Height and Risk for an Early Death
A 2017 study examined height and longevity in former professional basketball players.The researchers found that a taller body can mean a reduced lifespan.
This study included 3,901 living and deceased players who played basketball from 1946 through 2010. Players had an average height of 6 feet, 5 inches. The top 5% in height died younger than the players at the bottom 5% in height.
Here, the researchers noted that genetics, socioeconomic status, health care, weight, education, smoking, nutrition, and exercise were additional factors that could affect lifespan.
Average Height for Males
Taller Men Living Two Years Less
A long-term observational study reported in 2012 found that Italian men under 5 feet, 3 inches lived at least two years longer than their taller peers.The study examined death rates among men born between 1866 and 1915 in the same Italian village.
Smaller Bodies and Sex
Research has looked at body size differences in men and women and how those affect lifespan. Women seem to live longer than men, and researchers have often pointed to the effect of disease on males vs. females as a deciding factor.
The average height for people assigned female at birth in the United States is 5 feet, 4 inches. It is 5 feet, 9 inches for people assigned male at birth.
Around the world, women live one to 11 years longer than men.It is possible that having smaller bodies or being shorter can put people assigned female at birth at an advantage compared to their peers assigned male at birth when it comes to living longer.
What’s the Average Height for Women?
Health Risks
Some health risks, such as the following, are associated with human height.
Venous thromboembolism(VTE): VTE is a life-threatening condition in whichblood clotsform in the veins and block blood flow. A 2017 study investigated the link between height and VTE among 2 million Swedish siblings.
They found men shorter than 5 feet, 3 inches had a 65% lower risk for VTE compared to men taller than 6 feet, 2 inches. They also looked at a group of pregnant people and found that those 5 feet, 1 inch and shorter had a 69% lower risk for VTE compared to pregnant people 6 feet and taller.
The researchers determined an additional inch in height meant a 2.2% higher risk of death fromall causesfor men and a 2.5% higher risk for women. They also found an additional inch meant a 7.1% increased risk of death from cancer for men and a 5.7% increased risk of death from cancer for women.
Atrial fibrillation(A-fib): A-fib is a dangerous heart rhythm disorder. Research from the European Society of Cardiology found that taller and larger-framed women were up to 3 times more likely to develop A-fib than shorter, smaller-framed women.
According to the 16-year study, the larger the body as a young adult, the more likely A-fib is. They suggest this is due to the increased size of the atria in the heart in larger people, which could interrupt electrical pathways and put extra pressure on the lungs due to body size.
Why Might Height Affect Life Expectancy?
Research on death has shown that smaller, shorter bodies have lower death rates and fewer diet-related chronic or serious illnesses.This finding has been consistent in both human and animal studies. Examples of diet-related conditions are high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and gallstones.
While additional factors like nutrition and access to healthcare play a part in longevity, it is not entirely understood why shorter people specifically might live longer.
Some possible therapies are:
Factors Affecting Life Expectancy
Life expectancy has increased over the past several decades but has slowed over time and even decreased after 2014.A significant contributor to the increase in mortality is the rising death rates for specific causes among young and middle-aged adults. Such causes include drug overdoses,suicides, organ system diseases, and, since 2020,COVID-19.
Aside from illness, suicide, and overdose, multiple factors affect mortality and life expectancy. Among them are:
Life Expectancy in the United StatesIn 2022, life expectancy in the United States was 77.5 years, which is an average of the following:Males: 74.8 yearsFemales: 80.2 years
Life Expectancy in the United States
In 2022, life expectancy in the United States was 77.5 years, which is an average of the following:Males: 74.8 yearsFemales: 80.2 years
In 2022, life expectancy in the United States was 77.5 years, which is an average of the following:
How to Live Longer and Healthier
When it comes to health and mortality risks, size and genetics are not the only determining factors. Other risk factors that you can control have an effect, including diet, exercise, smoking status, and alcohol use.
The healthy habits below can help you to live longer and healthier:
Summary
Numerous studies have found a connection between height and longer life. Shorter people might live longer because of their small stature and how their height affects disease risk. However, these studies are not conclusive because risk factors, including lifestyle and genetics, come into play.
The best thing you can do if you want a longer life, regardless of your height, is to live a healthy life. That means eating healthy, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and keeping your alcohol use low.
18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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