Do Shorter Men Live Longer? Study

A recent study conducted by a team of Japanese researchers shows that shorter men may live longer.

For the study, researchers at the Kuakini Medical Center, U.S. Veterans Affairs and the UH John A. Burns School of Medicine studied the rate of people living over 100-years-old. Findings showed that men who were of Japanese descent who resided in Hawaii tended to live longer than taller ones of the same origin.

"The folks that were 5-2 and shorter lived the longest," said Dr. Bradley Willcox, one of the study investigators and a professor in the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine's Department of Geriatric Medicine, via wrbctv. "The range was seen all the way across from being 5-foot tall to 6-foot tall. The taller you got, the shorter you lived."

"We split people into two groups - those that were 5-foot-2 and shorter, and 5-4 and taller," he added. "The folks that were 5-2 and shorter lived the longest. The range was seen all the way across from being 5-foot tall to 6-foot tall. The taller you got, the shorter you lived."

Researchers discovered that shorter men were more likely to carry the FOXO3 gne, which has been linked to smaller stature yet longer life expectancy. Smaller men were less likely to have cancer or lower blood insulin levels.

"This study shows for the first time, that body size is linked to this gene," said Dr. Willcox, via Medical Xpress. "We knew that in animal models of aging. We did not know that in humans. We have the same or a slightly different version in mice, roundworms, flies, even yeast has a version of this gene, and it's important in longevity across all these species."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal PLOS ONE.