Finally, a win for the short people!
Nowadays we have a lot of control over our health. We can spend all our money on the fanciest anti-oxidant, wrinkle-reducing, chakra aligning smoothie on the market, or we can eat greasy takeaways every day for a year (I am not condoning either, by the way). The point is we have the freedom to choose.
Unfortunately, the one thing we have no control over is our height.
So here’s a useful list of the top 5 reasons why being short makes you better…I mean healthier, than your tall friends.
Less likely to get cancer
Studies show there is a 10% increase in the risk of cancer with every additional 10 cm in height, with a particularly strong increased risk of melanoma. So tell your tall friends (as they are closer to the sun) to stay in the shade and wear plenty of sun cream, just to be on the safe side. Although this sounds like a scary one, the correlation between height and cancer is minimal compared to the connection between other carcinogens like smoking. This connection could help doctors identify the types of cancer a patient might be prone to, making it easier to recognise risk factors.
Shorter, easier pregnancies
Sorry to break it to you tall ladies, but you are more likely to have a longer pregnancy than shorter women. A scientific study found that as there is less space available for a baby to develop inside a smaller womb they tend to be delivered earlier, although the height of the mother doesn’t affect the rate of growth for the baby.
Less likely to have back pain
This one is kind of self-explanatory, the taller you are, the more predisposed you are to back pain as there is more for your back to hold up! So being short is more beneficial for general back health. Although it is a weak connection, and other factors such as weight, genetic predisposition, injury, and overall build will be more likely to affect your chances of getting back pain. If you do suffer mild back pain, we recommend contacting your GP to rule out any underlying causes, you might find that stretching and over-the-counter pain medication can help relieve pain.
You are better in hot climates and less likely to get heat stroke
The taller you are, the more body mass you have, and therefore the more heat you produce. This can make it harder for a tall person to cool down, therefore making them more susceptible to overheating and heat stroke, which can be deadly. The smaller you are the more efficiently you can cool down. Although there is a downside, short people will find it harder to stay warm in colder climates.
More likely to live for longer
It might be sensible to assume that taller people are healthier, but in fact the opposite is true. Multiple studies have found a correlation between increased height and decreased life span. We aren’t 100% sure why this is, but like with all the items on this list, it doesn’t really matter how tall you are as the risks associated are tiny compared to the impact of a healthy and happy lifestyle.
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