Shorter People More at Risk From Heart Disease Says Study

A study of nearly 200,000 men and women found that shorter people have a higher risk of heart disease than their taller counterparts.

Every 2.5 inches up reduce the risk of heart disease by 13.5 percent, according to the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday.

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Scientists have long considered there to be a link between height and heart health, but the latest research found that genes controlling height were directly linked to heart disease risks.

To be sure, height is only one of many factors that affect the level of risk.

“In the context of major risk factors this is small – smoking increases the risk by 200-300% – but it is not trivial,” Nilesh Samani, a professor of cardiology at the University of Leicester and lead author of the study, told the BBC News website. “If you’re 6ft 1in, you still need to stop smoking.”

Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com.