Why Do Short People Live Longer ?

[Maigo6]

Maybe it's just me, but the really old pople I see are all small, ' Little old lady' & ' Little old man ' spring to mind as regular desciptions, it's never 'Tall old lady' or 'Tall old man'.

And certainly not Fat 90 year olds, they go really quick.

I guess that's why the Japanese have such longevity, they are hardly tall in general, though that is changing and weight problems are now an issue as they adopt a more western diet.

Just a thought.

[sukanyacondo]

Youve go it wrong maigo you see you shrink with age so your s hort guy was once a 2.1 metre giant but now at 90 hes 1.4m!!! Dont forget older people tend to not hold themselves up straight .

[taxexile]

short people get more oxygen

[Andrew Hicks]

Maybe it's just me, but the really old pople I see are all small, ' Little old lady' & ' Little old man ' spring to mind as regular desciptions, it's never 'Tall old lady' or 'Tall old man'.

And certainly not Fat 90 year olds, they go really quick.

I guess that's why the Japanese have such longevity, they are hardly tall in general, though that is changing and weight problems are now an issue as they adopt a more western diet.

Just a thought.

One of the common causes of death in the elderly is complications resulting from falls.

Short people don't have so far to fall and so live longer.

When we age, we of course get shorter as the cartilage disks of our spine contract. This is a special design feature to minimise the damage from falling, just as the ears get bigger and more elongated to compensate for failing hearing. Notice how old men all have enormous ears?

The tallest people in the world are the Dutch. This is a special evolutionary feature to deal with global warming and the likely inundation of Holland.

Wonderful really!

Andrew Six Foot Hicks

[canuckamuck]

Humans on average are 10cm's taller than we were 200 years ago.

All the really old people you see were from the shorter generation.

It has to do with better nutrition in childhood.

But it could also be that a short human is a more efficient machine (less wiring, plumbing, overall mass) and therefore longer lasting.

[jetjock]

Although the topic may have been generated as just a fun topic, the fact is that there have been quite a few studies done on this exact topic. One of the first appeared in a Bulletin of the World Health Organization in 1992. One of the main theories advanced on why shorter, smaller people have greater longevity is based on the fact that most human body cells have limited capacity for duplication. Since bigger people require a larger number of duplications to reach maturity, they have fewer potential cell doublings left to replace defective or dead cells. Thus, the functional capability of vital organs declines with advanced age because damaged cells can't be replaced. A new study also showed that oxidative damage to cells increases at a higher rate with increasing height; e.g., an 18% increase in height leads to an 83% increase in cellular damage.

Although this is an interesting topic it definitely is not one of my favourites since I am 6'4" tall

[Lucifer]

Although the topic may have been generated as just a fun topic, the fact is that there have been quite a few studies done on this exact topic. One of the first appeared in a Bulletin of the World Health Organization in 1992. One of the main theories advanced on why shorter, smaller people have greater longevity is based on the fact that most human body cells have limited capacity for duplication. Since bigger people require a larger number of duplications to reach maturity, they have fewer potential cell doublings left to replace defective or dead cells. Thus, the functional capability of vital organs declines with advanced age because damaged cells can't be replaced. A new study also showed that oxidative damage to cells increases at a higher rate with increasing height; e.g., an 18% increase in height leads to an 83% increase in cellular damage.

Although this is an interesting topic it definitely is not one of my favourites since I am 6'4" tall

6'4''!! ..thank god you got that reply in.

[Zeid]

in my opinion it is rules of nature

a great dane lives 7-8 years some may debate more like that guy on youtube who says up to 16

and a toy breed can live up to 18

the same applies to humans i guess i am 184cm 6ft and i guess i am a bull mastiff size in dog sizes so that gives me 12 dog years to live

[naka]

Of course none of this negates the fact that absolutely nobody, from any society wants to be a 'Short Ass'

There again, perhaps standing on tiptoes in the bar is good for the circulation.

Naka.

Edited August 25, 2007 by naka

[Maigo6]

Of course none of this negates the fact that absolutely nobody, from any society wants to be a 'Short Ass'

Naka.

Why ?

Why is being Tall percieved as being advantageous, when short people live longer?

How many small people do you see walking upright well into their late 70's, on the other hand, how many Tall people do not have a stoop in thier late 70's, if they ever make that age that is?

Edited August 25, 2007 by Maigo6

[bendix]

What's up Maigo? Are those insteps not doing it for you anymore?

[Naam]

short people get more oxygen

and more farts.

[soundman]

So, all living circumstances being equal, Thais should live longer than farang?

[lazeeboy]

Youve go it wrong maigo you see you shrink with age so your s hort guy was once a 2.1 metre giant but now at 90 hes 1.4m!!! Dont forget older people tend to not hold themselves up straight .

as people get older most end up with a curviture in there backs ,not always visible when dressed ,good example is clint eastwood ,once 6 foot 4 inch now 6 foot ,if you look at him in recent movies you can make out the curve.......

[Payboy]

So, all living circumstances being equal, Thais should live longer than farang?

they are - strictly going by the buddhist calendar...

[JetsetBkk]

I thought it was because in short people the heart doesn't have to work so hard to get blood up to the brain.

I'm tall but allow for this effect by spending as much time as possible horizontal.

[jetjock]

I may be living on borrowed time since I am in my 60's and 6'4" tall so I decided to take some of my remaining time and do some further research on this interesting topic. Although those of us that are tall appear to have a disadvantage when it comes to longevity, according to Wikipedia heightism does have some advantages so here are a few excerpts:

Heightism may also be a factor in dating preferences. For most women, the height of a man is a major factor in sexual attractiveness.The greater reproductive success of taller men is attested to by studies indicating that taller men are more likely to be married and to have more children.

Quantitative studies of woman-for-men personal advertisements have shown strong preference for tall men, with a large percentage indicating that a man significantly below average height was unacceptable.

A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 feet tall, which is 3 inches taller than the average American man. Studies have shown that short people are paid less than taller people, with disparities similar in magnitude to the race and gender gaps.

Studies have shown that women of below average height are more likely to be married and have children than women of above average height. Some reasons which have been suggested for this situation include earlier fertility of shorter women, and that a shorter woman makes her partner feel taller in comparison and therefore more masculine.

I found the last excerpt to be very interesting since many of us on the forum have shown that we have a strong attraction for Thai woman ( who as a race are below the average height of western woman). Could this be one of the reasons for our attraction to Thai woman since they are almost always shorter than us farang men and therefore make us feel more macho ?? It's just a thought since I could give hundreds of better reasons why I have a strong personal attraction to Thai woman.

[zaza]

I may be living on borrowed time since I am in my 60's and 6'4" tall so I decided to take some of my remaining time and do some further research on this interesting topic. Although those of us that are tall appear to have a disadvantage when it comes to longevity, according to Wikipedia heightism does have some advantages so here are a few excerpts:

Heightism may also be a factor in dating preferences. For most women, the height of a man is a major factor in sexual attractiveness.The greater reproductive success of taller men is attested to by studies indicating that taller men are more likely to be married and to have more children.

Quantitative studies of woman-for-men personal advertisements have shown strong preference for tall men, with a large percentage indicating that a man significantly below average height was unacceptable.

A survey of Fortune 500 CEO height in 2005 revealed that they were on average 6 feet tall, which is 3 inches taller than the average American man. Studies have shown that short people are paid less than taller people, with disparities similar in magnitude to the race and gender gaps.

Studies have shown that women of below average height are more likely to be married and have children than women of above average height. Some reasons which have been suggested for this situation include earlier fertility of shorter women, and that a shorter woman makes her partner feel taller in comparison and therefore more masculine.

I found the last excerpt to be very interesting since many of us on the forum have shown that we have a strong attraction for Thai woman ( who as a race are below the average height of western woman). Could this be one of the reasons for our attraction to Thai woman since they are almost always shorter than us farang men and therefore make us feel more macho ?? It's just a thought since I could give hundreds of better reasons why I have a strong personal attraction to Thai woman.

And I assumed you already know the outcome of this equation : if you are taller than your spouse= she will live longer than you!) .

So I congratulate your woman of picking the right man to be his future( lucky widow) !

Edited August 25, 2007 by zaza

[zaza]

Maybe the tall people do not notice the low roofs when going down the escalators in some malls!

[qwertz]

It's simple.

They don't bang their heads so often against low hanging signs and hardware and low doorways.

Plus they spend less on smaller beds and shorter trousers.

They drive small cars and thus suffer less stress when parking.

And crucially, they're harder to spot by their enemies.

[jetjock]

And I assumed you already know the outcome of this equation : if you are taller than your spouse= she will live longer than you!) .

So I congratulate your woman of picking the right man to be his future( lucky widow) !

Zaza, it is interesting that you pointed that out because I sort of agree with you. Before I married my beautiful and much shorter and younger wife, I actually tried to talk her out of marrying me because I did not want to see someone that I cared for and loved so much be faced with the prospect of becoming an early widow. She however countered my argument with the fact that if I live as long as my mother who is currently a spry and vibrant 92 years old and still driving her car and working out at the health club everyday and if she lives as long as her mother who died at age 47 years old breast cancer then I will be the one who will wind up be an early widower.

It was difficult for me to counteract her valid argument and I must now admit that we are now both very fantastically happy that we decided to marry. The reality is that I will probably depart this earth long before she does and hopefully she will not stay a widow for long but find someone that cares and loves her as much as I do. I guess none of us knows what the future has in store for us !

Edited August 25, 2007 by jetjock

[zaza]

And I assumed you already know the outcome of this equation : if you are taller than your spouse= she will live longer than you!) .

So I congratulate your woman of picking the right man to be his future( lucky widow) !

Zaza, it is interesting that you pointed that out because I sort of agree with you. Before I married my beautiful and much shorter and younger wife, I actually tried to talk her out of marrying me because I did not want to see someone that I cared for and loved so much be faced with the prospect of becoming an early widow. She however countered my argument with the fact that if I live as long as my mother who is currently a spry and vibrant 92 years old and still driving her car and working out at the health club everyday and if she lives as long as her mother who died at age 47 years old breast cancer then I will be the one who will wind up be an early widower.

It was difficult for me to counteract her valid argument and I must now admit that we are now both very fantastically happy that we decided to marry. The reality is that I will probably depart this earth long before she does and hopefully she will not stay a widow for long but find someone that cares and loves her as much as I do. I guess none of us knows what the future has in store for us !

Just try to worry about how to live a longer life;other things are easily affordable!

[Aujuba]

I heard that tall people live longer a while back. A ChineseThai guy told me that he heard that people with long fingers live longer.

Here are some opinions from yahoo users:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_y...07023157AAzQBnH

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_y...24132801AAaoaiy

[Tinkelbell]

..a toy breed can live up to 18........."

--------------------------------------------------

We have 3 toy breed.... one Chihuahua, 2 miniature Pinchers (Min-Pin). Looks like the dogs are going to outlive us.

One of our all time faverite poster in our bedroom....."Live begins when children leave home and the dog dies."

[ozzydom]

just as the ears get bigger and more elongated to compensate for failing hearing. Notice how old men all have enormous ears?

A fortune teller in China told me that I would live to 100 because I have big ears (Buddha ears she called them ), also have two life lines,but I think she forgot to factor in the 40 cigs a day for the last 55 years.

[Zeid]

long or short i am not sure about,

my great grand father lived till 115 his last daughter was born when he was 96 yes 96,

i saw my great grand father and great grand mother, both in their 90 when they passed away

on grandmother still alive at 90 something,

and one grand father dies at 85,

and the other in early 80's

if it is the genes i am in for a long long ride.

[qwertz]

They have a lower centre of gravity so they're not so prone to falling down.

[Solosiam]

long or short i am not sure about,

my great grand father lived till 115 his last daughter was born when he was 96 yes 96,

i saw my great grand father and great grand mother, both in their 90 when they passed away

on grandmother still alive at 90 something,

and one grand father dies at 85,

and the other in early 80's

if it is the genes i am in for a long long ride.

Really, your great grandfather is amongst the top 3 oldest males to have ever lived.

[ratchabuild]

As far as I understand it and I had a long conversation on the subject at a teaching hospital last month there are benefits and minus' which arise out of the sheer mechanical aspects of long versus short. Thus a short man plagued by short mens illnesses wishes he were tall and avoids the problems and a tall man beset with his own sets of problems wishes he were short. A lot depends upon which world you inhabit. The world of the states and the giant sized individual where to be short would be disadvantaged or the asian world where to be very tall is equally to be seriously disadvantaged.

[mackayae]

Because they don't have so far to go.