On 2016 Mar 03, thomas samaras commented:

A contrary report is available from the Indian Heart Journal l2013: Shorter height is related to lower cardiovascular disease risk--a narrative review, Samaras TT 65: 66-71.

On 2016 Jan 09, thomas samaras commented:

Shorter height is certainly an indirect marker for CAD. However, this relationship is not causal and virtually all studies showing shorter height is related to CAD are confounded by various risk factors. Actually, within population and ecological studies indicate that shorter height is related to substantially lower CAD. A few examples follow:

1. US CAD/CHD mortality by ethnic group showed the Asians had almost 80% lower rates than taller Whites and Blacks. Latinos and Native Americans had in-between rates and were in-between in height. These findings are based on the years 1985 to 2000 and involved roughly 8 million deaths.

2. The preceding findings are not due genetic superiority of the Asians. For example, when I compared the CAD/CHD of the Japanese in different areas, I found the shortest group. the Okinawans, had the lowest CAD. The taller mainland Japanese came next. The taller Hawaiian Japanese and tallest California Japanese saw CAD increase progressively with height.

3. I only know of relatively short populations that are totally free of CAD and stroke. These include the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Kalahari Bushmen, Congo Pygmies, and Kitavans. Males are all roughly 5'4" or less in height. No tall European population can match these results (based on research conducted around the mid 1900s).

4. US Native Americans also were found to increase in CAD with increasing height.

5. US males have 17 times the death rate from CAD as shorter rural Chinese males. In addition, within China, shorter rural males have lower rates than taller Chinese rural males.

6. In 1900, CAD was rare compared to today. However, the average person in 1900 was much shorter than we are today.

7. The 2007 WCRF Report stated that as a result of industrialization, we have seen increases in height, weight and chronic disease, including CAD. From 1100 to 1700 European height was declining but CAD did not start increasing until after the start of the industrial revolution.

8. Women are shorter than men and have less CAD.

9. Around the end of the 20th century, the countries with the lowest CAD were Japan, Hong Kong, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. All relatively short populations. In regard to France, the taller Northern French have much higher CAD compared to the shorter Southern French.

10. In the later part of the 20th C, taller Nothern Europe had 40% higher CAD compared to Southern Europe.

11. In the US, taller WWI military recruits had more heart problems than shorter ones. (Based on about 1 million men.)

12. A US study found that when tall poor people were compared to short poor people, the tall people had almost 40% higher risk of a heart attack.

13. Bonnett studied about 350,000 dogs and found that a Great Dane is 60 times the risk of heart failure as a miniature Dachshund. A standard size Dachshund had seven times the risk compared to the miniature breed. Therefore, small body size does not appear to be a problem when it comes to heart failure.

The problem with most research is that it is very difficult to eliminate risk factors related to shorter height. For example, if short height is due to childhood disease or health problems, these problems will increase the risk of adult CAD and other chronic diseases. However, it is difficult to identify this confounder. Shorter people also tend to smoke more and are more likely to be obese and of lower socioeconomic status. Even if a short person who was born poor reaches higher SES as an adult, he or she will be at risk for higher CAD and all-cause mortality than taller people who were higher SES all their lives.

Research over the last 30 years provide many other examples of why shorter height, combined with healthy nutrition and a good life style and environment, tends to promote less CAD.

On 2016 Jan 09, thomas samaras commented:

Shorter height is certainly an indirect marker for CAD. However, this relationship is not causal and virtually all studies showing shorter height is related to CAD are confounded by various risk factors. Actually, within population and ecological studies indicate that shorter height is related to substantially lower CAD. A few examples follow:

1. US CAD/CHD mortality by ethnic group showed the Asians had almost 80% lower rates than taller Whites and Blacks. Latinos and Native Americans had in-between rates and were in-between in height. These findings are based on the years 1985 to 2000 and involved roughly 8 million deaths.

2. The preceding findings are not due genetic superiority of the Asians. For example, when I compared the CAD/CHD of the Japanese in different areas, I found the shortest group. the Okinawans, had the lowest CAD. The taller mainland Japanese came next. The taller Hawaiian Japanese and tallest California Japanese saw CAD increase progressively with height.

3. I only know of relatively short populations that are totally free of CAD and stroke. These include the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Kalahari Bushmen, Congo Pygmies, and Kitavans. Males are all roughly 5'4" or less in height. No tall European population can match these results (based on research conducted around the mid 1900s).

4. US Native Americans also were found to increase in CAD with increasing height.

5. US males have 17 times the death rate from CAD as shorter rural Chinese males. In addition, within China, shorter rural males have lower rates than taller Chinese rural males.

6. In 1900, CAD was rare compared to today. However, the average person in 1900 was much shorter than we are today.

7. The 2007 WCRF Report stated that as a result of industrialization, we have seen increases in height, weight and chronic disease, including CAD. From 1100 to 1700 European height was declining but CAD did not start increasing until after the start of the industrial revolution.

8. Women are shorter than men and have less CAD.

9. Around the end of the 20th century, the countries with the lowest CAD were Japan, Hong Kong, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. All relatively short populations. In regard to France, the taller Northern French have much higher CAD compared to the shorter Southern French.

10. In the later part of the 20th C, taller Nothern Europe had 40% higher CAD compared to Southern Europe.

11. In the US, taller WWI military recruits had more heart problems than shorter ones. (Based on about 1 million men.)

12. A US study found that when tall poor people were compared to short poor people, the tall people had almost 40% higher risk of a heart attack.

13. Bonnett studied about 350,000 dogs and found that a Great Dane is 60 times the risk of heart failure as a miniature Dachshund. A standard size Dachshund had seven times the risk compared to the miniature breed. Therefore, small body size does not appear to be a problem when it comes to heart failure.

The problem with most research is that it is very difficult to eliminate risk factors related to shorter height. For example, if short height is due to childhood disease or health problems, these problems will increase the risk of adult CAD and other chronic diseases. However, it is difficult to identify this confounder. Shorter people also tend to smoke more and are more likely to be obese and of lower socioeconomic status. Even if a short person who was born poor reaches higher SES as an adult, he or she will be at risk for higher CAD and all-cause mortality than taller people who were higher SES all their lives.

Research over the last 30 years provide many other examples of why shorter height, combined with healthy nutrition and a good life style and environment, tends to promote less CAD.

On 2016 Mar 03, thomas samaras commented:

A contrary report is available from the Indian Heart Journal l2013: Shorter height is related to lower cardiovascular disease risk--a narrative review, Samaras TT 65: 66-71.