How Tall Do You Need to Be?
Study Finds the Perfect Height with Lowest Mortality
We live in a society obsessed with numbers—how much we weigh, how many followers we have, our test scores, and job titles. But one metric that receives an undue amount of focus is height.
From a young age, children are acutely aware of how their vertical measurements stack up against their peers. They may feel self-conscious if lagging behind the average heights listed for their age group.
This height complex persists into adulthood. Dating profiles prominently display stats, with taller men depicted as more desirable matches. Studies even link increased height to higher incomes and perceived leadership abilities at work. Today’s social media tells us that the perfect stature for a male seems to be 180–183 cm, or around 6 feet, while modern science says otherwise.
A study published in the European Journal of Public Health has uncovered a significant connection between adult height and life expectancy. Researchers from China’s Zhengzhou University and Shenzhen University Health Science Center analyzed data from over 2.8 million individuals across multiple cohort studies.
The results show adult height is associated with overall mortality risk in a U-shaped pattern. For both men and women, each 5 cm increase in height below average cuts the risk of death by around 5–7%.
The study found the lowest mortality was seen in those 174 cm tall for men and 158 cm tall for women. People at these heights had a 47% and 33% lower risk of death, respectively, compared to the shortest participants.
![Nonlinear dose–response associations between adult height and all-cause mortality modeled by using restricted cubic splines and comparison of predicted relative risk point estimates for all-cause mortality for 21 studies Nonlinear dose–response associations between adult height and all-cause mortality modeled by using restricted cubic splines and comparison of predicted relative risk point estimates for all-cause mortality for 21 studies](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F720dc6c4-cd3a-483f-897c-0fbea7044408_3500x1229.jpeg)
The researchers also noticed that the connection between height and risk of death (all-cause mortality) was clearer when just looking at European and Asian groups. In these groups, people at both very tall and very short heights had higher mortality than those in the middle.
However, the link was less strong in studies of Americans. It also didn't show up as clearly in studies that controlled for how much alcohol people drank. When accounting for alcohol use, height didn't seem to impact the overall risk of death. Therefore, the observed effects may differ in some populations compared to others.
Lead author Dr. Jie Lu from Zhengzhou University said the findings indicate adult height serves as a marker for early life experiences. Nutrition, healthcare access and socioeconomic factors during childhood can influence both growth and long-term health outcomes.
Experts say the research underscores the need for policies supporting child development. Ensuring proper nutrition and medical care from a young age can pay off in adulthood. Addressing societal inequalities may also yield downstream health benefits by optimizing conditions for growth.
It’s not the first time science has told us that being taller is not always better. Earlier studies have discovered that taller individuals face a higher risk of developing venous thromboembolism, a type of blood clot, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. This could be due to the longer distance blood needs to travel in taller individuals, potentially leading to blood clot formation. Other studies have shown that taller individuals have an increased risk of dying from cancer, possibly due to factors like increased cell division rates in taller individuals, leading to a higher likelihood of mutations and cancer development.
On the other hand, shorter individuals tend to live longer and have fewer health issues compared to taller individuals. This could be attributed to factors like lower metabolic rates, reduced oxidative stress, and potentially less strain on the body's systems over time.
While all these studies connect height with a variety of health risks, the current study is unique in unveiling the U-shaped correlations and the Goldilocks rule of physical stature. With height acting as a proxy, the study sheds light on pathways from early life to longevity. While not determinative, it highlights valuable opportunities for prevention. As the researchers continue their work, both individuals and decision-makers can consider how to foster healthy growth from cradle to grave.