What can short men do to prevent heart disease?
I read a disturbing, sobering article in the New York Times today which correlates short stature in males with increased risk of coronary heart disease (I had already been aware, however, of the correlation with lower incomes, etc., which seemed more digestible and understandable, I suppose). I then proceeded to read a variety of research study synopses confirming this, much to my dismay (I am 5’6”, 26, and male). I suppose I never got the memo?
In any event, I am curious if anyone—with a scientific background or not—has any insights as to why short men would be at a higher risk for heart disease, as well as, well, what I can actually do to prevent this, besides the standard diet-and-exercise approach. For those who are familiar with these studies, could it be that the shorter men studied were predominantly overweight, thus explaining the propensity for heart disease? I am highly physically active and have a lean BMI, but I’m concerned that one’s BMI or overall level of health wouldn’t have been taken into consideration within the context of these studies. Perhaps the etiology is solely genetic, in which case, I’m screwed. I’m even considering making a special appointment with my doctor to discuss additional ways I can prevent this; I almost feel as though I have a disability. Thanks all in advance for any insights on this heck of a Monday morning.
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18 Answers
be short? im not too sure on this, but i always thought it was us 6 footers that had the heart problems. kind of like grate danes do.
i guess you could do all the regular things, drink a glass of red wine from time to time, dont smoke. and generally try to keep healthy.
If this study was published in a reputable scientific journal (which it likely was, to be written up in the Times), I’m SURE that they took into account BMI and physical fitness in their statistics. If they conclude that height was a significant effect, it was likely significant regardless of other factors (at least to an extent! I doubt it’s the no. 1 factor). It’s hard to say what would cause this – it could be something as simple as the physics of bodies. I’m a biologist but haven’t studied physiology, so someone else might be able to explain (like @poisonedantidote, I thought it was larger animals that had heart issues!).
But bottom line is, don’t panic! It sounds like you’re doing a lot to avoid heart disease already. You can’t sweat it if you’re doing everything you can. Also, did they say how short “short” was? 5’6” doesn’t seem all that short to me!
Never heard of this. Are short people more likely to be from certain ethnicities? Maybe it is related more to that than height? Did the study account for this?
@fireinthepriory 5’6 is short for a man. My husband is barely 5’6, and regardless of height…heart disease runs rampant on both sides of his family. All he can do is eat healthy, exercise and pray for the best. I don’t think there’s much else you can do.
Following existing guidelines for reducing risk of heart disease is probably advisable. No matter what you do though, you’ll still have a short life. ;)
My dad and 2 of his brothers were 5’ 6” or less. All three of them had heart attacks and at least one bypass surgery. The other brother was 5’ 10” and while he didn’t have a heart attack, he did have a stroke. As a side note, after his heart attack, my dad quit smoking. His three brothers did not. He outlived all of them by approximately ten years. So, in my family, there seems to be a height correlation.
@tedibear39 double sigh Were they at all overweight or physically inactive?
I am a shorty…Both sides of my mom’s family are shorties. All have died of, will die from heart disease.
Everyone eats well, has great muscle tone. Genetics are involved here. Luckily, we don’t have any (knocks on wood) cancer in any side of my family
The best prevention methods you can use are diet & exercise. You could also read up on the Blue Zones
I have some relatives from two of the zones. And have some major longevity in my family because of the habits handed down (walking before and/or after meals is one great tip)
@mirifique I didn’t mean time-wise… (also, I’m 5’2”, so I empathize)
@mirifique – Yes, they were all overweight. Two of them golfed, but there’s not a lot of activity in that when you ride in a cart. My dad hunted, so there was some up and down hills, but that was only on the weekend for a short period in the winter.
Part of the reason I finally lost weight is that like Spatzie, my family runs to heart trouble. Even on my mom’s side – my mom had an atrial fib issue and her youngest sister had a heart attack. I need to do what I can to lower my risk. Now if I wouldjust get back on my treadmill. sigh
@tedibear39 Have you tried making a “rule” with your self? I made a rule that I can only watch a certain hour long show if I’m on my treadmill to view it…maybe you could start at one half hour show
Actually spatzie, what’s keeping me off is depression. I know that in my head, but cannot get my “heart” moving to do something about it. At one point I was doing 45 minutes of HIIT. It’s finding a reason to have it be worth it.
And now, back to mirifique’s question…
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