Being Short May Be Hard on the Heart

Short people may be more likely to have heart disease, and that could be linked to their genes, a new study finds. The study looked at genetic data and height for more than 18,000 adults. Researchers found that those who were shorter and had genes related to shorter height were more likely to have heart (coronary artery) disease. Heart-disease risk increased about 13.5% for every 2½ inches of height difference. People who were shorter also were more likely to have high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Both of these blood fats are linked with a higher risk of heart disease. But researchers found that having higher levels of blood fats could explain only about one-third of the greater risk in shorter people. One detailed analysis suggested that the higher risk with shorter height may exist in men only.