How Long Do Short People Live?: A Comparison With Tall People

The latest talk on TikTok is “How long do short people live?” Do you wonder the same?

Well, it is often believed that a taller person is supposed to live longer. But what is actually true? 

True, some studies have proven that being tall has its own perks, but having a longer life isn’t one of them. In fact, some research also indicates a possible connection between being tall and having some specific diseases. 

Now, you don’t think being tall is all beneficial, do you? Well, you may find all of your answers in this article. You will also find ways to enhance your wellness to improve longevity if you have a tall height. 

How Long Do Short People Live?: Scientific Facts 

The book “The Long and the Short of It” by Jonathan Silvertown seeks to find the scientific correlation between height and mortality rate. It delves into the topics of lifespan and aging through biological and evolutionary perspectives. 

Over the past 30 years, there has been a constant negative correlation found between taller heights and longevity, plus, millions of death rates stated that shorter and smaller bodies have comparatively lower death rates. 

Not just that, shorter people appear to be having longer average lifespans. So it’s basically, not about the looks and being tall, in fact, it is about everything other than that. 

A longitudinal study proved that men who served in the Italian military who were under 161.1 cm (5’3) lived longer than those over 161.1 cm, and the study was based on men born in the same village in Italy. 

Research also found that at the age of 70 years, men who were taller lived 2 years less than the ones who were shorter. 

Note: One thing to keep in mind here is that these researches do not correlate the variables like BMI i.e., Body Mass Index for any such studies. 

Now the question that must be popping into your head is “Why and how do short people live longer”, well, it did in mine too. Let’s find out. 

Why Do Short People Live Longer?

So, are you wondering, “Do short people actually live longer?”. Well, there is more research needed to completely comprehend why shorter people live longer or even to acknowledge if shorter people are destined to live longer than taller ones. 

But as of now, there are multiple theories for the same. Let’s have a look:

• Caloric Restrictions– Which means less eating. This factor may be beneficial for shorter people, as taller people require a larger caloric intake to support large organs and bones. However, with adequate planning, they can manage weight loss in middle age. 

• Shorter bodies will have fewer cells– When it comes to teeny tiny cells, taller people can have trillions more cells as compared to shorter people. This leads to larger impacts and exposure to free radicals. 

• More cells lead to more replications– As people age, the replacement of cells may no longer be available for repairing tissues and organ damage in taller people. 

Now that you have comprehended about shorter people living longer and the reason behind that as well, aren’t you wondering where this question even arises? I’m sure you are. Let’s find out. 

Are There Any Health Complications With Taller People? 

There might be some health complications that are directly correlated to height. Some studies suggest that taller people might have more health issues when compared to people with smaller heights. Let us explore these health issues in the following headings. 

Cancer Risk

A 2016 study of Americans found a direct relationship between cancer risk and height. In fact, researchers also state that an additional inch in height generates about a 2.2 percent higher risk of death from all causes, and that’s just for men, the death risk for women is 2.5 percent with every additional inch in height. 

The same additional increase of inches in height leads to a 7.1 percent risk of death from cancer in men, and the stats for the same in women is 5.7 percent. Now, this is not something one can neglect. 

Venous Thromboembolism

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) occurs when a blood clot or a thrombi forms in a deep vein. It was observed that recurring VTE was found in comparatively taller people, women to be more precise. Having longer legs will obviously lead to longer veins, which will further increase the risk of the occurrence of a thrombus. 

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a dangerous disease of the heart, whereby an abnormal heart rhythm is formed. Taller people, especially if it is a woman, are over 3 times more likely to develop this disease, than when compared to shorter people. 

This happens because the large cells in a tall person’s heart can disturb the electrical pathways of the heart. Also, the extra pressure against the lungs can lead the heart to get swollen. 

Now all that being said, the question that arises now is, what next? What does this mean now? How long do tall people live? Are they at any risk? Let’s find answers to each of your queries. 

What Does this Mean for Tall and Short People? 

Despite all the facts stated above, height is not the only factor that affects longevity, it is one of them, but the only one. Plus, this also doesn’t mean that short people are destined to live longer and tall people are detained to live shorter. All of it basically depends on an individual’s habits, diet, and many other factors. 

Just like that, lifestyle choices impose great impacts on our lifespan and on disease acquisition as well. Hence, there are several measures you can adopt, so to have a healthier life. Let’s have a look:

• Have an exercise routine.
• Quit smoking or vaping. 
• Try to eat healthier food that is filled with nutrients and antioxidants. 
• Understand the role of herbal medicines in good health.
• Reduce consumption of sugar, fast food, and processed food. 
• Try not to take much stress. 
• Stay in a location with much less pollution. 
• Reduce the consumption of alcohol. 

Basically, all these are ways towards a healthier and more fruitful life. They can also help you in managing chronic illness at home. But how exactly did the, how long do short people live Tiktok trend started? Let us delve through that “in short”, in the below heading. 

How Long Do Short People Live Tiktok Trend

It all began with a minor mistake when a TikToker accidentally Googled the question, “How long do short people live?”. He found that the top Google result showed that they live for about 10 – 13 years. 

The strange part about this is, that it goes against all of the scientific facts that goes in favor of short people living longer than long people. 

This event led to people sending Google’s answer to their short friends with an “I will miss you” message. Many of them started using that information to make memes and posting them on TikTok. The trend took over, and soon the platform started being bombarded with all kinds of jokes about this information on Google. 

How Long Do Short People Live Meme?

If you are searching for a “how long do short people live for meme”, then you must know that currently there are tons of such memes on the internet today. 

Generally, people with long heights send these memes as jokes to their friends who have shorter heights. Short-height people also send them to their short-height friends to express mutual sympathies. 

Now let’s start sending all of these, “How long do short people live memes” to our friends to make them laugh with joy. 

Conclusion

As opposed to the popular opinion, the truth is that short people live longer than long people. Several scientific studies have proved that long people tend to have more physical illnesses than shorter people. 

However, ultimately it is one’s daily diet and habits that determine their life expectancy. So if you were searching for a, how long do short people live meme, you must know that despite your height, ultimately it is you who has the power to make decisions for a longer life span. 

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about shorter people, their lifespan, and the viral TikTok trend: