Statistics show that tall people are more attractive, earn more money, and are seen as more powerful. So what’s the catch? Well, the catch is pretty grim so we’ll get right to it – tall people may not live is as long and their shorter counterparts.
At some point in your exceptionally tall life, you may have looked around and wondered why you don’t see many geriatric giants. It’s likely because they’ve already passed on. In all seriousness, pay attention to the following warnings so you can take the necessary measures to live a tall, long, ad healthy life:
More Cancer
All of those cells that make up your tall body come with a price: a higher likelihood of cancer. Cancer is basically cells multiplying at an out of control rapid rate, so with more cells comes a higher likelihood of a problem. Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that each additional 4 inches of height increases the risk of all types of cancer by 13 percent among post-menopausal women.
More Diabetes
Some studies suggest that “tall children generally seem to experience increased risk for development of diabetes,” according to a 2002 study published in the journal Pediatrics. There isn’t a whole lot of agreement on this point yet, though, thank goodness. Some researchers find that diabetes is actually more common in shorter folk.
More Blood Clots
Tall people often (not always) have tall legs. That’s great for modeling; not great for blood clots. Or rather, it is great for blood clots because it means you’ll have more of them. One study found that men 6 feet or taller were 2.6 times more likely to develop venous thromboembolism (techincal term for blood clots) than men at least four inches shorter, and American women above 5-foot-6 also suffer recurrent blood clots at a higher rate.
Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Spontaneous pneumothorax is the technical term for when your lung explodes without any warning. And it’s more likely to happen in—you guessed it—tall thin people. Tall people suffer more respiratory illness in general.
More Back Pain
If you’re tall you probably already knew this. We live in a world that is too small for us, and as a result, our back suffers. In fact, tall men are 44 percent more likely to have lower back pain. Try these exercises to cure it.
Shorter Life
In 1992 researchers found some really unfortunate results. Out of 1,700 dead guys, on average, those that were shorter than 5’9” hung around till the ripe old age of 71. Those taller than 6’4” took off around the age of 64.
There Is A Bright Side!
So is that it? Is the joke on us because even though our bodies are taller, our lifespans are shorter? No. We’re still less likely to have heart problems, strokes, or alzheimer’s. For every study that correlates height and early death, there’s one that finds the opposite. Besides, tall humans are more likely to be rich, and rich people live five years longer than poor people. So grab yourself a TallSlim Tee and live a little.
