Adult height

How tall a person is as an adult (adult attained height) is determined by genetic and early environmental factors. It is also affected by a person’s nutrition, especially during important periods of growth and development, such as infancy or adolescence.

Studies have shown that taller people have a higher risk for some types of cancer. It is still not clear exactly how height increases cancer risk or if other factors, such as smoking or socio-economic status (SES), influence the risk. It may have something to do with hormone levels in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Taller people have more cells and this may lead to a greater chance for mutations to occur, which could result in cancerous cell changes.

A higher cancer risk associated with taller adult height has been reported for several cancers.

There is strong and convincing evidence that taller adult height is associated with increased risk of colon cancer and breast cancer (in post-menopausal women).
Taller adult height may also increase the risk of other cancers, such as cancer of the:
- ovary
- thyroid
- breast (in premenopausal women)
- pancreas

References

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