LONDON (Reuters) - Women with short legs have a greater risk
of developing heart disease, according to a team of doctors
at Bristol University.
The likelihood of suffering heart disease decreased by 16
percent for every extra 4.3 cm in leg length, the
researchers wrote in a study published by Heart journal.
The study of more than 4,000 British women aged between 60
and 79 found a link between adult leg length, an indicator
of childhood diet and environment, and the risk of coronary
heart disease.
Dr Debbie Lawlor told Reuters: "a tall stature is likely
to be a proxy for environmental factors from birth up to
puberty, which affect both growth of the bones in the
legs and also have a long-term effect on heart disease in
the future."
As babies are born with a long trunk and relatively short
legs, growth of the legs is one of the best ways to gauge
the positive effect of breast feeding, high energy diets and
affluence, she said.
Of the women surveyed, almost 700 had heart disease, and
their leg lengths ranged from 74.6 cm to 75.3 cm. Women
without any symptoms had legs ranging from 75.8 to 76.0 cm.
Similar studies have shown taller men also faced less risk
of heart disease, she added.
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