Shorter People Have a Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Research Finds

(Photo : Pixabay)

It might seem like fiction; however, research states that there is a higher risk of developing diabetes for smaller people.

A recent study published at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke highlighted that being mindful and implementing lifestyle modifications can enable shorter individuals to avoid acquiring Type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, taller ones have minimal risk of having diabetes, as indicated by the study. The researchers also said in their report that people with the longest legs had the most reduced diabetes risk, especially among men.

Researchers added that the danger of acquiring type 2 diabetes decreases by 33 percent for ladies, and 41 percent for men for every 10 centimeters in extra height. The findings of the study recommend that short individuals may have a higher risk of having cardiometabolic risk and diabetes compared to tall individuals.

Many researchers went the extra mile to have a more intensive look at the hazards associated with height elements to the risk of acquiring Type 2 diabetes.

Nabil Adam, Ph.D., a Rutgers University researcher, told Healthline that having a shorter height may be related to malnutrition in youth—which is a possible reason for a person to have diabetes. The examination likewise found that the shorter individuals could acquire higher blood lipids, liver fat levels, and other diabetes-related hazard factors. 

Another study published in the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes added that the diabetes risk declined most drastically among individuals of average weight. Dr. Lawrence Gerlis, chief executive officer of samedaydoctor.org based in United Kingdom, told Healthline that it is known that irregular statures are related to specific metabolic diseases. Gerlis added the reasons are perplexing, and likely could be hereditary. However, a tall and muscular posture has by and large been perceived as being more beneficial than smaller, larger body shape.

Meanwhile, a registered dietitian warned against emphasizing too much on the relationship of diabetes to the person's height. Ruth Pupo Garcia explained to Healthline that shorter people might be bound to be overweight since regular food parts are unreasonable. The California-based dietitian added that muscle versus fat substance, not height specifically, would have a more significant amount of an effect on the risk of having Type 2 diabetes.

Garcia explained that shorter people would have lesser chances of having type 2 diabetes if they have a healthy BMI, weight, and muscle-to-fat ratio. She also pointed out that a tall, stout man, with or without family ancestry of diabetes, but with poor dietary patterns, might be placed at a higher chance of acquiring the sickness.

"We must remember that diabetes risk is multifactorial, and we cannot identify risk based on height or on one factor alone," Garcia said.