Study: Shorter people at higher risk of type-2 diabetes

Researchers have found that shorter people are at greater risk of developing type-2 diabetes. The study published in the journal Diabetologia, also found the risk of future type-2 diabetes was 41 per cent lower for men and 33 per cent lower for women, for each 10 centimeters taller in height they were. According to the researchers, the increased risk in shorter individuals may be due to higher liver fat content and a less favourable profile of cardio-metabolic risk factors.

"Our findings suggest that short people might present with higher cardio-metabolic risk factor levels and have higher diabetes risk compared with tall people," said study researcher from the German Institute of Human Nutrition, Germany.

For this study, the research team looked at more than 2,500 middle-aged men and women in Germany from a pool of about 26,000 people, after adjusting for age, lifestyle, education and waist circumference.

The study found that the risk of future type 2 diabetes was lower by 41 per cent for men and 33 per cent for women for each 10cm larger height, when adjusted for age, potential lifestyle confounders, education and waist circumference.

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